Why we met Sowore to discuss his freedom- Garba Shehu

Garba Shehu says the idea to meet Sowore was not arranged by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, has explained why a group of people allegedly sent to Omoyele Sowore by Buhari went to meet the detained activist to discuss his release.

On Saturday, November 30, 2019, Premium Times had reported that a group of personalities including Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, Isa Funtua, ThisDay Publisher, Nduka Ogbaibena, and Shehu went to meet Sowore at the Department of State Services headquarters to negotiate his release on behalf of the president.

The online news platform reported that the personalities were sent to Sowore to pressure him to give up his struggles in spite of court order asking the DSS to release him.

President Buhari's spokesperson, Garba Shehu says the personalities that went to meet Sowore did not go on behalf of the president. (Punch) ece-auto-gen

Explaining what led to the meeting, Shehu said the idea came from the media community to intercede for Sowore because as a publisher, he’s one of them.

He added that the meeting took place shortly after the activist was arrested before he was charged to court.

The presidential spokesperson said that the meeting was neither arranged by president Buhari nor held on his behalf by the people, who went to meet Sowore.

Department of State Services (DSS) is trying Omoyele Sowore for alleged treason. [pmnewsnigeria] Pulse Nigeria

Shebu said, “Yes, the leadership of the media community asked to see Sowore and they were allowed to meet him.

“Their reasoning is that although he acted as a politician, the fact that he came from the media imposed a responsibility on them to intercede for him. It had nothing to do with President Buhari.”

“This was very early after his arrest. He hadn’t been charged as of that time.

“Sowore was pleased to receive us. All our leaders asked him to do was, operate within the law. He promised cooperation. He said that his lawyer needed to be talked to. And I am aware that his lawyer had been met.’’

Sowore has been in the custody of the DSS since he was arrested on Saturday, August 3, 2019, over his planned #Revolutionnow protest.