Civil Society organisations reiterate reasons Ozekhome will never want Magu, anybody dead
The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Lagos State has condemned a report in an online medium, which accused Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, OFR of plotting against the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, with the aim of pulling him down.
The coalition at a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday rebuffed the publication, saying Ozekhome will never want Magu or anybody death as purported by the online medium.
Briefing newsmen on the said controversial publication tagged “Why Ozekhome wants Magu dead”, the National president, Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR), Comrade Alex Omotehinse who read a statement signed by six other right groups that formed the coalition said Ozekhpme is a long standing human rights leader who has paid his dues defending the Nigeria masses for many years and still standing for justice till date, and as such will never want Magu or anybody dead.
The coalition is therefore calling on the general public to disregard the report. They are also calling on Ozekhome to disregard the report and also jettison the initial thought of instituting legal proceeding against the online medium.
The statement titled “Our Call For Caution On Avoidable Division Within The Ranks Of Civil Society And Why Chief Mike Ozekhome San, OFR, Can never Want Magu Or Anybody Dead” is signed by Comrade Alex Omotehinse National President Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR), Comrade Segun Adeeko, Coordinator, Know your Right for Justice,Comrade Owoeye Wise, executive Director Centre for the Protection of Indigenous Peoples Rights (CPPR).
Other signatory to the statement are Comrades Mrs Favour Uruada Executive Director Favour’s Effect Republic (FER), Comrade Peter Oyewole, General Secretary Campaign for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (CCHR); Comrade Funmi Jolade Ajayi Chairperson Community Women Initiative (CWI); Balogun Hameed, Coordinator Frontliner Economy and Social Research Center (FESRC).
The statement reads in parts “our attention has been drawn to an online publication by Sahara Reporters tagged “Why Ozekhome wants Magu dead”, written by one Israel Olawiyola. We have also read the letter written to the said media house by lawyers to the victim, our own irrepressible Comrade, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who has demanded in his letter, for a letter of apology and retraction on the said publication. It was also reported in the news that Ozekhome is ready to sue for libel, to clear his name, if the retraction and apology are not made.
“Having read through the publication and looking at the various false accusations in the contents of the publication, we have resolved to intimate members of the public of our position on this issue in the following manner, by stating how disgusted we are about the publication.
“Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, OFR, is a renowned Constitutional Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Pro-Democracy Campaigner, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR). He is Voice of the People; he has stood for the truth, challenging successive governments’ impunity and breaches of people’s fundamental rights and the rule of law. We can vouch for his humility, good conscience, fear of God, hard work, and selfless service to humanity.
“Ozekhome has over the years, spoken truth to power and authority, challenged dictatorial anti-people decisions of any government in power, and insisted that the primary purpose of government, which is security and welfare of the people cannot be compromised on the altar of fear, intimidation, coercion, sentiments.
“Mike Ozekhome had always decried the continued stay in office by Magu after his two-time rejection by the Senate under section 2(3) of the EFCC Act. He argued that the selective and anti-corruption fight has since been reduced to Trafalgar Square circus and calls for strategic fight against corruption, not media trial and gallery play; or government’s policy of “Name and Shame” Nigerians who have neither been arraigned, tried nor convicted.
“On 30th of January, 2018, Ozekhome won a case against the EFCC for Governor Ayodele Fayose, Chief Mike Ozekhome in the same year decried the wrong tactics by EFCC, saying our criminal justice remains accusatorial and not inquisitorial. He had also won series of cases against the EFCC. Ozekhome had also won another case for Governor Fayose when his accounts, as a sitting Governor, were illegally frozen.
“Thereafter, Fayose paid some money from the frozen account to Ozekhome, only for the EFCC to freeze Ozekhome’s account. Of course, trust Ozekhome, who believes in the rule of law. Ozekhome again went to court and defeated the EFCC and got his account defrozen”, Omotehinse said at the coalition press briefing.
The coalition therefore called on Ozekhome to see the report as an error and therefore discard it. The coalition also urges Ozekhome to change his intention of instituting legal action against the online medium
“Ozekhome should please not institute any action for defamation in court against Sahara Reporters. Rather, he should see the publication as part of the challenges faced by a tested leader like him, and most especially social critics of his unmatchable pedigree. This is more so as none of the allegations is factual or can ever be proved against this distinguished Pan-Nigerian Statesman. Such challenges make a man stronger than ever before. Ozekhome has contributed so much to the struggle for a better society.
“What the human rights community needs now is unity, not division. Once again, we appeal to him for his ever caring and fatherly leadership mind to forget and forgive the writers and forge ahead with his mission of fighting corruption, bad governance and impunity, the coalition said.
