In a joint statement, the CSOs accused the minister of fabrication, saying:
“Last month, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made an unfounded and false statement that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were working to destabilise Nigeria. He attacked NGOs that exercised their constitutional right to challenge the Nigerian government in a court of law over the Federal Government’s indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.”
The statement was signed by the Executive Director, Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, Yemi Adamolekun; Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Edetaen Ojo; Deputy Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Kolawole Oluwadare and, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), Gbenga Sesan.
MRA leader, Ojo, said: “Nothing could be further from the truth than the minister’s wild claims and allegations,” saying: “We reject the allegation that SERAP and other NGOs that sued the Nigerian government are working to destabilise Nigeria or against the country’s interest.
“We condemn the statement as a reckless attempt to incite Nigerians against NGOs and undermine their credibility. We wish to state that the opposite is actually true. Nigerian NGOs are striving to save Nigeria from being destabilised in the face of relentless efforts by Mohammed and others in the government, who are afraid of freedom of expression and other fundamental rights that should be enjoyed by all citizens in a democratic country.
“Mohammed apparently believes that being a Minister gives him the authority to be the accuser, judge and jury, and that anyone who disagrees with him or criticises him, or the government, is an enemy of the state. He could not be more wrong! In a constitutional democracy, citizens have a right and indeed, a responsibility, either individually or in groups, to criticise their government and to insist that the government respects their fundamental rights and freedoms, within the laws of the land.
“Mohammed said the government was in receipt of reports that some of the NGOs were on the payroll of foreign agents and traducers with ulterior motives to destabilise Nigeria. We challenge him to release the list of these NGOs, along with those that are, according to him, “not working for the interests of the people of the nation” and proceed to prosecute them in accordance with Nigeria’s laws.”
“Mohammed was in charge of propaganda for his political party for many years, before his party won the general elections in 2015. So we understand the need for him to counter any opposing view, even if it is the truth. However, we wish to remind him that the same NGOs that worked to ensure people like him – and all citizens – enjoy their fundamental rights to freedom of expression are the same ones he is now seeking to suppress…”
