By Onyekwere Nwobodo
The attention of Enugu State Government has been drawn to a salacious report in the social media, credited to one Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, purportedly of Ohaneze Youth council, wherein he made an obvious, clearly laughable attempt to drag the name and office of Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, into odious travails of disgraced former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
It was obviously a convenient, last ditch effort to deflect attention and liability by dragging the name of the Governor into the mess Uche Nnaji had single-handedly inflicted on himself!
Pray, up until this moment, at what point in this matter did the name of Dr Mbah, feature in all these, whether as complainant or witness?
When did red herring become an acceptable defence against certificate forgery?
On all available records, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant in the criminal complaint against Uche Nnaji, definitely NOT Peter Mbah!
It is, therefore , absurd and disingenuous to think that accusing a perceived adversary of involvement in one’s unsavoury situation, in itself, would mitigate assured fate, tilt public opinion or hamstring legitimate law enforcement.
It is germain to state categorically here, that Governor Peter Mbah has filed no complaints against Uche Nnaji civil or criminal, anywhere.
Is being a sitting Governor sufficient to make one accountable for all criminal liabilities of any or all his opponents?
It would have been better for cheap hirelings like Igboayaka to explore available legal and/or judicial means under the law, to assist Mr Nnaji prove his innocence swiftly, rather than spending precious time and effort seeking to drag in someone that has nothing whatsoever, to do with his situation.
And threatening a statutory institution like ICPC, to dissuade it from performing it’s lawful duty, because a politically exposed person is involved, would set a dangerous precedent: availing criminal immunity to all manner of fugitives, who ordinarily deserve to be in jail.
It is unhelpful, indeed unnecessary here, going into the merits or demerits of the case against suspect, Uche Nnaji, but it would have made better sense to channel his endeavours to mounting a credible legal defence for self, than procuring charlatans and social media goons, to seek to use blackmail and intimidation to help him escape justice.
The best a well-advised accused person can ask for, is an expeditious, free and fair trial, not immunity!
Uche Nnaji should be anxious and ready for his impending day in court,so he can have the chance to prove his innocence, once and for all…
His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah, is focused on governance, and has neither interest in, nor time for frivolities.
Nwobodo is Special Adviser on Media, to the Governor of Enugu State
