…Demands withdrawal of false statement
A renowned political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, has vowed to sue the special adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga.
In a statement on Monday, Utomi advised Onanuga to withdraw his statement or provide evidence of his claims. He warned that he would sue Onanuga and claim N500bn if he failed to provide sophisticated evidence.
He said: “Let me state first and foremost that I have no problem with protests. They are legitimate sources of feedback in a democracy. I have participated in several during military rule alongside some of those now in government.
“My reaction to Onanuga’s statement has therefore nothing to do with the legitimacy of the demonstrations but with the deliberate and outright falsehood of the statement. First, I have been living in the United States for several months now and was unaware of threats of demonstrations so I could not have been part of something I did not know was in the works.
As a student of the State in post-colonial Africa, I am horrified that agents of the State can fabricate deliberate falsehood. As I know phones are bugged there should at least be evidence of some contact between me and these ostensible demonstration planners.
“They do not even need to produce the conversation to show evidence but just a thread of contacts. If no evidence of Mr. Onanuga’s false assertion is shown I will assume it reasonable that the object is to water the ground for false treasonable felony charges that can result in the claim of one’s life.
“I intend to therefore proceed to the international criminal and other human rights courts if a reasonable explanation is not forthcoming. I will also have no choice but to institute a claim of N500 billion for fake news, hate speech and intent to procure State murder of an innocent citizen.
“If judicial capture makes justice problematic in Nigeria I expect that I can trust extra-national institutions and global human solidarity. As one who survived two assassination attempts under Abacha of which there are public court records when some of those now in power were my colleague freedom advocates I am clear they know the consequence of their plotting.
“I have in a reaction on X already indicated that I meant to ignore the false assertion but I have been advised of a more sinister motive of State terror that should not be allowed to go unchallenged, in the plan being instigated by Mr. Onanuga.”