The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, yesterday called for the release of the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore.

He said Sowore’s arrest was an abuse of the right to freedom and portended grave danger to Nigeria’s democracy.

Adams, in a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Aderemi, alleged that the rationale for the arrest of Sowore was faulty.

He said the planned revolutionary protest could not be said to be treasonable since it was yet to be implemented before he was arrested by the DSS.

He recalled that Nigeria’s problems emanated from military dictatorship and tendency to gag the press and prevent freedom of speech and expression.

Aare Onakakanfo, however, said with the information at his disposal, the convener did not consult many of the civil society groups.

The planned protest, he said, would have been an avenue for Nigerians to express their feelings to President Muhammadu Buhari.