Jonathan Eze
Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, has described a civil society organisation seeking his prosecution over a N2.6billion fraud allegation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as faceless and cowards.
A group known as ‘The Concerned Citizens of Nigeria’ (CCN), had published last week in some national dailies urged the anti-graft body to begin an immediate prosecution of the former governor.
However, in a statement by Orji signed by his Special Adviser, Media, Mr. Don Norman Obinna, and sent to THISDAY yesterday, said it delayed in reacting to the report because it needed to conduct a comprehensive search with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to ascertain the true status of the group in order to enforce its civil right, using the court of law.
The statement reads in part: “We are compelled to respond to a trending fake report in the media calling for the arrest and prosecution of Orji over a non-existing fraud of N2.6billion.
This lie validated with a fake name was published in some national dailies on Sunday, September 22, 2017 and September 23, 2017 and some online news portals.
“Our reason for being taciturn since the publications hit the newsstand and social media was to conduct and conclude a comprehensive search with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to ascertain the true status of this so called association in order to enforce our civil right.
“The objective was to deflate their bloated ego and make them sulk by demanding for a retraction and apology to be published in three national dailies within a specific time or face the consequences of their rascality.
“We thought this approach prudent as we believe that it will put an end to multiplicity of spurious petitions of misappropriation against Orji to the EFCC by disgruntled elements hiding under pseudo associations to bring his political image and integrity to their wretched level.
“Unfortunately our plan was halted after painstaking search as investigation confirmed that the association – The Concerned Citizens of Nigeria and its purported President, Mr. Taiwo Akinyele, were pseudonyms with no contact address or phone numbers, except a Facebook page and a dormant website impulsively created to give respiration to the unregistered fake group.
“We find It pathetic how those who saw themselves as hegemons while in power few years ago and notorious svengalis (with coercive use of state security apparatus) will resort to this display of contemptible cowardice – like scared dogs with tails in between legs – in their self-defeating fight against Orji who rather than reviled is being serenaded by Nigerians.
“While we challenge these clowns masquerading as civil organisation group to make themselves known to see if we will hesitate a moment to take legal action against them, we however urge the public to disregard the mendacity published.â€
