Daniel Kanu
Comrade Alex Omotehinse, legal practitioner, is a known activist and National President, Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR). He is also the spokesperson for Civil Society Coalition.
Sunday Sun cornered him at a human rights interactive session in Lagos where he spoke on critical issues affecting the country, including the NDDC scandal, EFCC, rights abuse by the President Buhari- led government and Edo/Ondo elections, among other national issues. Excerpt:
What is your reaction to the recent scandal rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)?
The latest scandal in the NDDC is just a show of shame and to prove us right that these people (or at least a large majority of them) at the helms of affair do not represent the Nigerian people or whatever the region is. For example, the case of this Niger Delta region in which the necessity to form NDDC became very important and necessary. The agitation was that the region where Nigeria is getting its oil, which is a major source of revenue, should be developed rather than neglected as it was observed. The question was how do you pay back or compensate and develop where you are spoiling its land, its environment to make sure we get these resources, then the idea of creating the NDDC came up. The Act which established the NDDC confers on it the onerous responsibilities of conceiving, planning and implementing projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta area in the fields of transportation, health, education, employment, industrialisation, agricultural and fisheries, housing, and urban development, as well as water supply, among others. But what did we see? Those that are in-charge simply abused the system with impunity. It is lamentable that despite the huge money earmarked for the development of the region the inhabitants of that zone have continued to live in crushing poverty and degraded environments amid the billions of oil wealth squandered on frivolities. NDDC, which is supposed to be an institutional framework for accelerating development progress in the region has now become a drain pipe for chronic waste, executive profligacy and the brazen diversion of funds earmarked for the development of Niger Delta communities. What happened in the NDDC issue shows that even some of the people we claim to be our enemy are not the real enemy. Our Niger Delta people were the real enemy we have in this case. It shows to a large extent that any opportunity people have in this country is to siphon the resources for personal gain. Look at the list: From Akpabio, Pondei, Barrister Joi Nunieh to National Assembly members etc, all are from the region. Look at the drama the acting M.D (Prof Pondei) was acting. It shows that these people are simply playing Nigeria like football. One thing I am worried about is that Nigerians are still not yet tired with them, they are not yet tired with their deception. This is because when Nigerians get tired they will rise and take their destiny in their hands. It is a lesson for some of us activists, who always criticise, but by the time they get an opportunity or have the opportunity to romance with the government they turn back against their fellow activists. And you know that government is good at using divide and rule policy, they will look for some weak voices among the civil society group, back them and use them against the others. We (civil society) need to wake up to this challenge. The recent scandal is a call for challenge from all the Niger Delta self-determination groups, civil society organisations based in the region. I am from Ondo State; we are also part of the oil-producing states, meaning that my state is part of NDDC. So, it is time for all of us to rise up, and those that have been sleeping and slumbering should join us in this crusade, that we must retrieve our country; we must retrieve our region from the hands of these looters. We must begin to ask more questions on how our collective resources are being abused. We must ensure we monitor activities of those in office and insist that those who abuse their offices are brought to book, after thorough investigation and prosecution are properly established and they are found guilty. The way they are trying to sweep the allegation of Akpabio against the National Assembly under the carpet, that should not be. Look at what we are also witnessing in the EFCC and imagine what we will witness if we are to probe NNPC or Central Bank activities. To say that I am disappointed in what is happening in the EFCC is an understatement. This is because prior to Magu’s allegation by the Attorney- General, our organisation, Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights, challenged the presidency to replace Magu. Look before we come out with any information, any allegation, we must have done our underground research properly. We have also challenged the media trial and gallery play of his anti-corruption crusade. We have also said it openly that some of his activities are selective, it is always a target on perceived opponents and those they see as rebels, dissenting voices. Few weeks later, after our press conference the Attorney-General (Malami) came up with those weighty allegations, about 20 of them against Magu, writing a letter to the presidency, recommending him for replacement. We put up a press statement also that the allegation by Malami should not be swept under the carpet, but must be cross-checked with a proper investigation and whoever that is found wanting should be brought to book. That does not mean that the Attorney-General should not be investigated too because it has now become a counter-allegation. The onus of proof lies on the burden of the allegee because the law says he who alleges must prove, he who proves must also assert. They should ensure that no stone is left unturned.
What is the position of human rights abuse in the country and whether the government is doing enough to better the situation?
Government is not helping matters. In fact, this government has abused the rights of Nigerians in several ways; it is a government that does not respect the rights of the citizens. This government claims it is protecting the rights of the people, but the abuses if itemized are alarming. The corruption in the country is still on the increase, it is an abuse of the right of Nigerians, the political bigwigs stealing is still on the high rate, the issue of siphoning Nigeria’s money is still abuse, budget padding and constituency allocations is still an abuse of our rights, people’s privacy being invaded, Nigerians are detained illegally and the government looks the other way, there is a lot of injustice and rights abuse in the land to cut the story short. This government has not in any way respected the rights of Nigerians. This government was embraced by Nigerians on the point that the people will experience genuine change. The government said they will fight corruption because corruption is the basis of fundamental rights abuse. Look at all the areas that the government promised as its cardinal focus if in power and see how well they have performed. Look at the areas of security, corruption fight, rights protection, and economic re-engineering and you will see rot and abuse of a system. The only way this government can tell me they are respecting the fundamental rights of Nigerians is when they make political office unattractive. I think it is proper to put the records straight here that this government has abused the rights of Nigerians more than every other civilian government from 1999.
Are their signs going by the observations of your human rights team that the Edo and Ondo elections will be free and fair?
You and I know that for us to have a free and fair election in this country, it will take us a long time looking at the desperation of our politicians. We are still having the problem of heavy monetisation of politics. This in itself has excluded many competent people with capacity and credibility not to be part of politics. You can see the scenario that played out at the Oba of Benin palace recently when the PDP entourage went to pay courtesy to the royal father. You can see the mayhem that it resulted to. That tells you the desperation I am talking about, the do-or-die mentality. If in pre-election, we are witnessing this, then what do you talk about the election itself? We pray that the Edo election should be free and fair, but from what we have observed at the moment, although it is not like that in the Ondo case, but the Edo case shows that it will be fight to finish, a do-or-die affair. We implore Nigerians, all well-meaning Edo citizens to think about their future and know that the politicians that you are dying for are not worth dying for because they do not care for the people while in power. They are less concerned and this COVID-19 pandemic just exposed them the more. It shows that this government does not have any plan for the poor, forget about what they are mouthing, forget about their well-oiled propaganda machine. God forbid, had it been that this pandemic started in Africa, you will not see any of them in this country by now, they would have all ran away and that is a sign for the Nigerian youths to know that this people are not worth dying for. Where is Obaseki children or Ize-Iyamu or Oshiomhole children and relatives? How many of them are in the country? How many are schooling in Nigeria? It is the same with the others; they were nowhere to be found during this pandemic. They have already secured the future of their children and want others to die for their sake; I think Nigerians should wake up and resist them. They should resist their arms and ammunition to kill ourselves. Nigerians should unite or do I say “let us be united by our poverty and resist them, and say no to them wrecking our collective destiny”. On the case of Ondo, the state is relatively peaceful and some of us are on close watch there because it’s my state. We cannot fold our hands and allow anybody from nowhere to come and hijack the state, create mayhem and all that, no, we will resist it. We are doing sensitisation and orientation for our people. We have a branch of our rights group in Ondo and they are talking to the grassroots, telling them to vote wisely.
You recently had a press briefing on the face-off between legal icon Mike Ozekhome and Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters?
There was a publication by the Sahara Reporters with the caption “why Ozekhome wants Magu dead”. Chief Ozekhome is angry with the publication and wants to sue for libel. The press briefing is to call for caution, to appeal to our legal master to forgive and forget, ignore the write-up knowing his pedigree and democratic struggle record. Going ahead with a libel suit will bring division to civil society group and what we need now is unity. We all respect Chief Ozekhome and plead with him not to sue the publication knowing also that Sowore is his younger activist and comrade in our democratic struggle. Guarded by the fact that the embarrassing situation, if not handled properly with great prudence, will result in a deep crack in the ranks of civil society, our coalition called for a truce and appealed to Ozekhome to show greater maturity as a father and leader not to be perturbed or get angry over it; he should forgive for the sake of peace. Also, we cautioned and advised Sowore to show respect to a fellow “pro-democracy activist and his senior in the rights struggle rather than insolence.”