The Coalition of Civil Society Group has raised an alarm over an alleged plot, by what it termed ‘some powerful politicians’ to release former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu out of prison under the guise of the recent directive to decongest correctional centres as part of strategies to stem the spread of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.
The allegation was contained in a press conference it held on the heels of a plot to grant pardon to convicted politicians in Nigeria.
The Group wants Nigerians to be put on alert of the incalculable damage, mistrust and erosion of public confidence this move might cause to our criminal justice system if allowed insisting that no convict should be granted pardon or freedom in any guise as such will make nonsense of the war against corruption.
The Group further said that it was aware of fresh move by some highly-placed politicians to quash the 12-year jail sentence slammed on the former governor on December 5, 2019 by a Federal High Court sitting in lagos.
According to them, “The said agents have allegedly recruited a number faceless groups across the country to stage a sponsored protest, asking for the immediate release of the jailed former governor.
“We have it on good authority that a certain group in the North has been paid to mobilise about 1000 people to stage a protest in Abuja this week over the conviction of the former governor.
The group was reported to have addressed the media during which it mischievously claimed that Kalu was a victim of high level conspiracy and political witch-hunting. The group threatened to expose those it claimed were behind the conviction of Chief Kalu, just as it asked notable politicians in the North to rise up in the call to free the former governor whom the group described as “a friend of the North.”
They urged the DSS and the Presidency to fish out those behind the planned protest and arraign them for attempt to undermine the judiciary and the anti corruption war of the Federal Government to serve as deterant to others who may still want to sabotage the anti corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.
They equally questioned the post-conviction bail granted to Kalu’s co-convict Mr Ude Udeogu on purported terminal health condition noting that such sad development has also heightened their fear that Kalu may soon be freed from jail without completing his prison term as was recently boasted by one of his cronies.
The Group insisted that there should be no sacred cow in the fight against graft even as Nigerians await the final judgment of the nation’s apex court on the trial of Chief Kalu over his conviction.