Tag: Omoyele Sowore

  • Expel Amnesty International before we put on our rage – group

     

    Expel Amnesty International before we put on our rage – CSOs tell President Buhari over foreign interest to destabilize Nigeria

     

    The Concerned Citizens’ Conference on Monday marked the 4th day of its total occupation of Amnesty International Office in Abuja to demand its expulsion of the from Nigeria.

     

     

    The CSOs vowed not to stop until the international organization leaves the country.

     

    According to the group, some foreign agencies were plotting to destabilize the country.

     

     

    Danelsi Momoh, National Secretary, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, saod Amnesty International took it upon itself to be the face of some agents of destabilization at it has continually issued statements and tweeted support for the organizers of #RevolutionNow Movement.

    He called on President Buhari to expel Amnesty International NOW or they would be forced to turn our rage against the NGO.

     

    His speech below.

     

    Dear compatriots, in recent days Nigeria has been confronted with a new brand of terrorism that is being packaged as activism. This cover of activism has been stretched to bestow a toga of respectability to terrorist organizations like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN); we believe that Boko Haram elements, bandits and killer herdsmen are part of the protests being planned by this alliance or rebranded terrorists working with a bitter opposition.

    Amnesty International took it upon itself to be the face of these terrorists. It has continually issued statements and tweeted support for the organizers of #RevolutionNow Movement even when it is apparent that their protest is an amalgam of organizations that have been properly proscribed as terrorist organizations or members of the opposition.

    Since we began this protest to occupy Amnesty International’s office here in Abuja, we have taken time to investigate the social media handles of the officials of the NGO. We did this following the belligerent way they insisted on staying back so that they can complete their evil plot in Nigeria. What we discovered in the private social media handles of Amnesty international’s staffers is troubling and worrisome – their account showed individuals whose personal views are jaundiced to the point that they are openly anti-Buhari and counter-Nigeria. We saw on their walls posts that were cynical of every move the government makes and even the seemingly objective ones of their posts were laden with innuendoes that are derisive of the country and its government.  How then can such people or the organization they represent pretend at being neutral or objective?

    It is equally ironic that Amnesty International is vocally supportive of  protests that are branded and promoted as ‘Days f Rage’ to challenge hallucinatory bad government by people with criminal and terrorist backgrounds but the same NGO dismissed our protest at its office for meddlesomeness in Nigeria’s affairs as government sponsored. This clearly exposes the double standard that has always been the hallmark of an organization that brags about being interested in human rights adherence. By the same token that its clients can occupy the streets in violent and murderous protests we, as Nigerians, have the right to be present here as expression of our grievances against the injury being caused to our country.

    Let us not lose sight of the facts of events up until this moment. One of Amnesty International’s clients, one Omoyele Sowore, who scored a few thousands votes as a presidential candidate in the last elections, openly called for Nigerians to join the protests with inciting comments like “except Nigerians bond together and bundle these guys out of our national space we are wasting our time” and “August 5 we are shutting down Nigeria” in apparent reference to forcefully overthrowing a democratically elected government. These threats and others that included destruction of some security organizations are the what Amnesty International is describing as “freedom of expression”. Sadly, some otherwise highly respected individuals have been parroting the NGO’s twisted position because they erroneously believe it is objective as per its international branding.

    We have our fears. If this is the definition of freedom of expression it is a matter of time before some people start calling for the assassination of the opposition figure and some fanatics will carry out the act in an even shorter span of time. When this happens the likes of Amnesty International will accuse the government of carrying out the attacks. The risk of such accusation pales in significance when compared to the danger of Nigeria going up in a conflagration, which is consistent with what this so called international organization has always wanted.

    On this fourth day of our occupation of Amnesty International’s offices in Abuja. We want to call attention to four things:

    “Amnesty International has track record of lying dating back to when it used a rehearsed actress as a witness to justify lies that Iraqi troops were throwing neonates out of incubators in Kuwait. It never walked back that lie. Such questionable means of gathering evidence is responsible for the growing suicide rate among its staff. “

    “Amnesty International is complicit in the affairs of countries that have failed or presently in turmoil today. An organization that can facilitate the ongoing pogrom in Yemen and still be resolute in creating new failed states should not be welcome in any self loving nation on earth.”

    “The financiers of Amnesty International are questionable individuals and organizations. The list include weapon manufacturers that are eager to have new wars and the resultant clients as well as opposition figures that are desperate to gain power through transition, interim or government of national unity as is the case of Atiku Abubakar and Omoyele Sowore in Nigeria”

    “There have been countries that successfully  expelled Amnesty International from their jurisdiction in the past. The reason for the expulsions is no different from the crime Amnesty International has been committing in Nigeria. Morocco once expelled the organization while Israel has expelled its affiliates. “

    “These for us are enough reasons not to have this monster in our country. Its output can only be pure evil and the longer it stays among us the more malevolent its evil will be.”

    Since we have passed the half mark in the deadline we gave Amnesty International to leave our country or be thrown out, we are directing our attention to the government because we believe it can send this organization out of Nigeria without waiting for us to unleash our own version of Day of Rage against the dubious organization. We are as a result using today’s protest to call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to do the needful now.

    We have in the preceding three days defied the element – rain and the sun – to hold this protests against the evil taking up quarters in Nigeria. We are ready to sacrifice even more to defend the interest of Nigeria at all times and we will never stop to bring to the notice of authorities those that do not mean well for Nigeria.

    Our law enforcement agencies must rise to the occasion. It is not enough to arrest insurrectionists, it is important to trace their connections to the other variables in the plot to destabilize Nigeria. They must therefore investigate financial and communications connections between the RevolutionNow leaders and Amnesty International with a view to prosecuting and jailing any of its staffers that are directly involved in the plot to overthrow the government. This should extend to investigating the funding of Amnesty International and how they spend their money to ascertain the various clandestine operations they run against the county.

    We conclude our outing today by demanding that Mr. President appreciate the imperative of not sitting on the fence whilst corporate terrorists destroy the fabrics of our unity and peaceful co-existence. Amnesty International officials in Nigeria have an agenda to overthrow his democratically elected government in the country and it is a plot that is now at an advanced stage given the boldness with which its executioners now take to the streets to implement their plan.

    All the recent activities of Amnesty International is to force the government into inaction so that the coup plotters can carry on undeterred. This has to stop.

     

    Mr. President, you must expel Amnesty International NOW or we will be forced to turn our rage against the NGO.

  • Felabration kicks off on Fela’s posthumous birthday

    The 2018 edition of Felabration tagged ‘Baba @80: Overtaking Overtake’ is set to officially kick off tomorrow, Monday, October 15, 2018 with the Fela Symposium at the NECA House, Agidingbi, Lagos.

    The symposium has as its theme, ‘African Leadership in the Millennium’ with speakers being some presidential candidates for the 2019 general elections – Donald Duke, Omoyele Sowore, Eunice Atuejide and Fela Durotoye.

    Were he still alive, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, whom Felabration is in honour of, would have turned 80 on that day. However, the annual festival founded by his daughter, Yeni Kuti, includes a symposium, school debates, Afrobics dance competition, art competition and a week-long musical concert at the New African Shrine continues to keep his memory alive. This year’s edition runs from October 15 to October 21 2018.

    As usual, there will be several bands coming from different countries to participate in this year’s Felebration.

    On Wednesday at Freedom Park, a bust of Fela Kuti was unveiled. Also, Yeni Kuti, daughter of the late Afrobeats legend and founder of Felabration, disclosed that Felabration Organising Committee has morphed into a Felabration Foundation poised to look into other activities beyond the fanfare which has always accompanied the annual festival.

    “Felabration is not just about music, symposium and school debates,” said Yeni. “It’s also about helping the people.”

    She also disclosed that due to paucity of funds, top foreign artistes won’t be around but bands and delegates from different countries are expected to join in the week-long fiesta.

    Chairman of the Felabration Organising Committee, Theo Lawson, also noted that though Felabration is base is in Lagos, the festival is being taken up across the world.

    “It is no longer necessarily tied to Lagos or Nigeria alone,” he said. “Fela’s music is out there, inspiring people and groups all over to activate something.”

    The Felabration Secondary Schools Debates held on Wednesday and 10 Lagos secondary schools debated the topic ‘State Police In Nigeria; To Be Or Not To Be.’ While Rainbow College, Surulere, Lagos won first place, Vivian Fowler Memorial College came second and Ipakodo Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu was third. However, the 10 participating schools all got a piano each, courtesy of the Felabration Organising Committee.

  • Sahara Reporters v Saraki: Court declines contempt hearing

    Sahara Reporters v Saraki: Court declines contempt hearing

    An Ilorin, Kwara state High Court Thursday declined to entertain application filed by Senate President Bukola Saraki against the Publisher of online newspapers, Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore.

    The judge, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye therefore referred the application to the Chief Registrar of the state Ministry of Justice for re-assignment.

    The same court had in May this year awarded N4 billion against Mr. Sowore for defaming the character of Senator Saraki.

    But, Mr. Sowore (defendant) approached the court praying for stay of execution of the judgement.

    While, the case subsists in court, Senator Saraki through his lawyer, Babatunde Olomu accused the Sahara Reporters publisher of scandalous publications against the court.

    In a motion of notice dated September 11th, 2017, Mr Olomu sought for “an order for Omoyele (2nd respondent) to appear in court in person and show cause why he should not be committed for contempt of court in respect of publications made scandalizing this court; an order refusing audience to the defendant/respondent in respect of their pending applications before the court until they purge themselves of the said contempt.”

    Saraki counsel based his application on “the provision of order 47 of the Kwara state High Court (civil procedure) rules 2005, empowers this court to punish a person for contempt of court by an order for committal; the 2nd defendant had published on several platforms on the World Wide Web, contemptuous and derogatory remarks of this honourable court and the person of the presiding judge, calculated to scandalize the court.”

    In his ruling, Justice Oyinloye said “I do not want to be a judge in my own court. I hereby direct counsel to Senator Saraki to redirect the contempt application to the registry for reassignment.”
    In his oral application after the ruling, Olomu urged the court to give his application over and above the remaining applications of the defendants.

    He prayed the court to “stay further proceedings on other applications pending the outcome of the reassignment of the contempt application by the registry.

    Counsel to Sowore, Stanley Imhauaor said the oral application was strange and improper, saying it was an indirect way of arguing the application just referred to the registry for reassignment.

    Said he: “The oral application is an attempt to ambush the decision of the application referred to the registry; his application is not proper. This is a very serious application with very serious business.

    This court ought not to have entertained this oral application. “Courts are enjoined not to speculate on issues that are not before them. Contempt is quasi criminal in nature. We urge you to discountenance the application.”

    In his ruling, Justice Oyinloye said that “I cannot entertain any further proceedings on this matter until the application for contempt of court I referred to the registry is resolve.

    “I therefore fixed 24th of November, 2017 for report on the progress made. I also direct the registrar of this court to make sure the application is expeditiously attended to in the next two Weeks at the registry.”

  • Saharareporters publisher Omoyele Sowore arrested

    Saharareporters publisher Omoyele Sowore arrested

    The Publisher of an online news medium, Saharareporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore was on Monday arrested by the Police.
    His arrest followed a complaint by one Lekan Fatodu, who accused him of defamation of character.
    In a tweet, Fatodu said: “I just got Sowore Omoyele of Saharareporters arrested for criminal defamation, blackmail and threat to my life and career.”
    Findings revealed that Fatodu is also the publisher of  Check it Out Magazine.”
    But in a short interview with our correspondent, Sowore said: “I was attacked in Lagos by some boys of a former minister. We are on our way to Panti Police Station. “

  • Ekiti guber polls: Obanikoro unable to stop Sahara Reporter, Punch, others

    Ekiti guber polls: Obanikoro unable to stop Sahara Reporter, Punch, others

    A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Friday declined  the request of former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro for an order of injunction against online news publication, Sahara Reporters, The Punch Newspapers, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore and Premium Times.
    Ruling on an application filed by Obanikoro on the matter, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye held that Obanikoro’s application for injunction was lacking in merit.
    It will be recalled that Obanikoro had on February 5, 2015 filed an application for an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from publishing harmful materials against him pending the determination of the substantive suit.
    The suit was filed following the publication of an audio recording which purportedly revealed how the former Defence Minister with other individuals plotted the rigging of the 2014 Ekiti gubernatorial elections.
    In his application, Obanikoro had claimed that the defendants had published very damaging material which made him suffer various political, personal and personal losses.
    The Senator had also requested for an order of court compelling the defendants to retract all the damaging news publications via a letter of apology on their various news outlets. 
    But the trial judge, Justice Ipaye in her ruling yesterday declined the prayers of the former minister.
    She said: “there is nothing before the court that shows the applicant will suffer more harm if the injunction is not granted.
    “It is an error to seek to restrain a publisher of an article on the grounds of libel if there is no proof before the court that such material is libelous.
    “I am persuaded that this application has no merit and an injunction is not appropriate in the circumstance.” 
    At yesterday’s proceedings, Obanikoro was represented by Mr Chukwudi Enebeli while Punch Newspapers Limited was represented by Mrs O.H Nurudeen.
    Sahara Reporters, Premium Times and Sowore have not made an appearance in court since trial commenced in the suit. 
    Ipaye ordered the suit adjourned pending when the defendants will file their replies to Obanikoro’s application.