TRANSPARENCY MOVEMENT CONDEMNS CSNAC FOR ATTEMPTED CHEAP BLACKMAIL

 

A coalition of Civil society Group headed by the Transparency movement has called on all legitimate Civil society Groups in Nigeria too put national interest first above personal sponsorship gains in their utterances, engagements with the media and perceived attacks on well placed Nigerians in the pursuit of their civic duties.

In a reaction to the alleged shielding of one Mrs Uzoma Attang from prosecution by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr. Sam Saba by the Civil Society Network Against Corruption led by one Olanrewaju Suraj, the Transparency Movement, in conjunction with other functional and respected Civil Society Groups stated that the allegation which was published on the Social Media has been verified as untrue.

According to the group, investigations revealed that the allegation was a sponsored campaign of calumny to smear the reputation of the Chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau who has refused to yield to overtures from one of the suspects in the case.

Special Assistant to the Chairman, S.P Gwimi; he said that there was never a time the woman in question offered his boss any inducement.

“Infact the case in question has been referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Tribunal, ICPC; which are legitimately empowered to prosecute the suspects” Gwimi stated that Olanrewaju Suraj and his group are been led by unbridled ambition to reap where they did not sow, stressing that the Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC; have been hired by those who are all out to discredit their perceived opponents in government while the group are blindly pursuing sponsored vendetta against individuals.

The Civil Society Network Against Corruption have in the past attacked President Goodluck Jonathan, Godwin Orubebe, Diezaini Alison- Madueke, and Michael Adoke among other prominent Nigerians.

Transparency Movement calls on other Civil Society Groups to investigate their allegations properly before they accuse individuals of wrong doings while it frowns at the untoward attitude of some civil society groups who have resulted into cheap blackmail to make quick money against the backdrop of their civic duties which include protection of human rights and freedom for the oppressed.

The group also caution, that until junk journalism practiced presently on the social media and other subjective media through blackmail, character assassination, libel e.t.c are thrown into the dust bin where it belongs, peace maybe elusive.

Attang was accused of stealing N29.8 billion pension funds of which she stood trials from the Code of Conduct Bureau after which her case was transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for prosecution.

Signed:

Umar Farouk

Transparency Movement

Segun Jones

Conference of Nigerian Youths

Femi Aduwo

Rights Monitoring Groups

Deinde Toyin

Christian and Muslim Youths Development Initiative