November 14, (THEWILL) – A child rights activist, Wale Ojo-Lanre, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, to nullify the candidacy of the Labour Party (LP) flagbearer, Peter Obi, for involving a toddler in his political rally in Lagos.
The activist, who slammed a N50 million lawsuit on Obi, said he is suing the respondents as a “concerned Nigerian and litigation friend” of the toddler.
Other respondents in the suit marked ID/6332GCM/2022, included the Labour Party, Queen (mother of the underage), the federal government, and the attorney general of the federation.
The plaintiff told the court that he is seeking an award of N50 million in damages against the first, second, and third respondents for violating the child’s rights.
He also argued that it was illegal, misleading, unlawful, exploitative, and abusive for the presidential candidate to post the picture and video of the toddler via his Twitter handle on October 2 and refer to her as “a poster child.”
“The first defendant allowed participation and usage of a toddler in an adult political rally, which took place on the street of Lagos on October 1. This is contrary to sections 29 and 33 of the Child Rights Act of Lagos State and Article 36 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Children, 1981″, the activist explained.
Ojo-Lanre said he was seeking a court order to foster the child “to any welfare home under the accreditation and supervision of the federal ministry of women affairs or other appropriate authorities for proper care, education, protection and upbringing until she turns 18 years.
“In addition, we seek an order to disqualify the second respondent from participating in the 2023 presidential election for condoning, adopting, encouraging and allowing the usage of the toddler for his rally.”
