Omojuwa Tells Ezekwesili: You Gave Your Consent To Be A Director In My Company

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, April 14th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Popular blogger and social media influencer, Japhet Omojuwa, has stated that he got the “full consent” from former minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, before making her a director in his company, Alpha Reach Limited.

African Examiner reports that Ezekwesili had spoken out on her alleged role in the company after the controversy over a social media campaign done on behalf of Alex Saab, an alleged Colombian fraudster.

Omojuwa and some social media influencers were reported to have been paid to tweet in support of the envoy accused of fraud.

In a letter signed by her lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, on behalf of Falana and Falana Chambers, Ezekwesili had asked Omojuwa to apologize and provide full disclosure of the records of Alpha Reach.

Reacting through his lawyer, Boonyameen Lawal from Babalakin & Co Chambers, Omojuwa disclosed that he had a good relationship with Ezekwesili when the company was established in 2012.

“Our client has a 10-year relationship with your client (Ezekwesili) dating back to 2011,” the letter read.

“Our client had just completed the mandatory National Youth Service when he met your client, who took him under her wings and even assisted in paying part of his rent in Abuja in 2012.

“The relationship began when our client visited your client’s house in Abuja in the company of Mallam Nash El-Rufai, upon her request. Our client enjoyed a triangular relationship with your client and Mallam EI-Rufai, whom your client used to refer to as her “brother”.

“Both Mallam El-Rufai and your client were listed as Directors of Alpha Reach Company Limited when it was registered in 2012, with their full consent.”

Omojuwa stated that at some point, the former minister had asked him to include her two sons, Chine and Chuba into his affairs.

The letter also disclosed that the relationship between the two was “not one-sided, and our client assisted your client in promoting various causes and engagements, as well as defending your client against perceived attacks on social media, oftentimes on her request”.

“Clearly, your client is a successful public figure with whom our client had a close relationship. It is reasonable that our client wanted to leverage her reputation to advance the company he promoted,” the lawyer wrote.

Omojuwa disclosed that the former minister was removed as a director when it was believed that she might be given a political position in 2015.

“It was not until 2015 when it was certain that he, Mallam El-Rufai, was going to become the governor of Kaduna state and the likelihood that your client could be appointed a minister by the then President-elect Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, that they both were removed as directors of the company,” the letter stated.

“You might recall that your client honoured the ruling party’s invitation to deliver a keynote speech at a public forum in Abuja in 2014, and there was a general expectation that she would play a role in President Buhari’s government.”

The blogger further disclosed that he is ready to disclose documents to back his claims, but noted that he is tired of the ex-minister’s constant efforts to “control his public views and tweets”.

“Our client is very much willing to disclose documents relating to the period between September 2012 and April 2015, when your client was a director of the company,” the letter read.

“However, given how your client and her family shared the letter under reference on social media (in clear demonstration of bad faith) after our client had already acknowledged receiving it, your client and her family could not be trusted not to disclose the company’s sensitive corporate information if it is made available to her.

“Our client would only make those documents available to your client upon a written undertaking that the documents would be treated with utmost confidentiality.

“While he remains grateful for your client’s past contributions to his growth and development and is sad about the recent turn of events, our client is ready to use every piece of information at his disposal to defend himself and his future against your client’s ungodly allegations.”

NAN