A legal practitioner and activist, Barrister Mayomi Afekuha, has faulted former presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, for what he described as an attempt to undermine judicial authority through an emotional social media campaign over a property dispute currently before the court.

Obi had, in a post on his social media handles, alleged that a property belonging to his younger brother was demolished in Lagos without legal backing.

He said the property, owned by his brother’s company, had stood for over 15 years before being brought down.

The former Anambra governor alleged that the demolition was carried out by unidentified persons acting on a vague court judgment that did not mention his brother, the property, or any demolition order.

Reacting, however, Barrister Afekuha described the post as “a biased and sentimental account carefully crafted to manipulate public opinion” regarding a matter that is sub judice.

“In one breath, Mr. Obi says the land belongs to his family, in another, he claims it’s his brother’s, and then he ties it to a company. So which is it? He has no legal proof before the court, yet he’s attempting to sway the public with emotion,” he stated.

Afekuha described Obi’s action as “irresponsible” and “a dangerous abuse of influence,” warning that it risks setting a precedent whereby high-profile individuals resort to public sympathy instead of lawful processes.

“Mr. Obi is well aware that the suit number and court judgment in favour of Mrs. Olorunlogbon are clearly stated. If his relatives believe otherwise, they should contest it in court, not on Instagram,” he said.

He noted that Mrs. Olorunlogbon holds valid Certificates of Occupancy and a court judgment affirming her ownership of the property, and that the legal process had followed due procedure, including repeated public notifications.

“Rather than seek a stay of execution or produce verifiable documents, Mr. Obi is engaging in a media trial. This borders on contempt of court and erodes confidence in our justice system,” he warned.

Afekuha urged Nigerians to respect the rule of law and advised political figures to refrain from politicising judicial matters.

“Peter Obi lost the 2023 election. That chapter is closed. He must not drag the judiciary into political battles,” he said.