Alleged Forgery: Allegation Against Ogah Defamatory, Mere Distraction - Group

Hon. Minister of State, Mines & Steel,
Hon. Uchechukwu Ogah 

The APC Nigerian Youth (Next Level Youth Ambassadors) has called the case of signature forgery raised by the Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates (COPA) through its solicitor Pelumi Olajengbesi against the Honourable Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, a mere distraction by political jobbers.

The group in a petition to the Inspector General of Police (IG) dated 26th February, 2020, which was signed by its Convener, Comrade Paul Oyiborume, said the allegation that Mr. Ogah forged the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun is untrue, defamatory and targeted at discrediting the well earned reputation of the Honourable Minister of State for Mines and Steel. Oyiborume called on the IG of Police to as a matter of urgency, investigate the allegation and those behind it. Adding that Mr. Ogah is ready to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion.

The petition reads in part, "I write based on human rights to a fair hearing that an investigation be conducted into the false alleged signatory forgery against our most esteemed Honourable Minister of State, Mines and Steel, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah.

"I wish to inform you and all right thinking men that the allegation is untrue and defamatory. It is barefaced to unfairly discredit and lower the reputation of Mr. Uche Ogah in the estimation of reasonable men.

"We demand that you should as a matter of urgency bring to bare any faceless apparition, who tends to tarnish the image of the Hon. Minister of State, Mines and Steel, Uche Ogah."

Comrade Paul Oyiborume further wondered why the initiators of the frivolous and baseless allegation chose to wait till when Mr. Uchechukwu Ogah has been appointed a Minister before re-awaking the already dead case, which could have be brought forward during the screening of Mr. Ogah after his nomination and designation as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria if it truly has any merit.

Meanwhile, according to the petition by COPA, Mr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah forged the signature of Mrs Bridget Adeosun, Managing Director of Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited on a document to validate a non-existent Memorandum of Understanding between his company, Masters of Energy Oil & Gas and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited in 2011.

Documents available to Citizens Court, however, revealed that the case when brought before a Magistrate Court in 2016 with several documents marked as "exhibits", was withdrawn by the Police for lacking merit.