Osinbajo Frowns at Sowore’s Rearrest … Cites SSS Action as Reason for Declining the Wole Soyinka Anti-corruption Award

Ololade Adeyanju/

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has finally broken his silence over the State Security Service (SSS) invasion of the Federal High Court in Abuja and re-arrest of the convener of RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, last Friday.

The Vice President in what appeared to be a subtle condemnation of Sowore’s rearrest barely 24 hours after he was released on bail cited the action of the SSS as one of the reasons for declining to receive an anti-corruption award by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) few days after the incident.

Osinbajo has been criticised by many Nigerians for not commenting publicly on the incident, but in a statement made public by his office yesterday, the Vice President said he considered it inappropriate to receive an award he had been given few days after the court fiasco.

“… in view of the developments on Friday in the Sowore case, I think it would be insensitive and inappropriate to attend the ceremony,” Osinbajo wrote to the award organisers in a letter dated December 8, 2019.

Osinbajo also cited the fact that he would be in Abu Dhabi for an international meeting under the auspices of the government of the United Arab Emirates where he was the keynote speaker as another reason for declining the award.

“I am extremely grateful for the recognition and award of the ‘Integrity Specialty of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism’s Anti-corruption Defender Award of 2019’ to me.

“The award, I note, is for our justice reform efforts in Lagos State. I had accepted the award with pride on behalf of the excellent Justice Sector team we had.

“However, two reasons explain my absence. First is that I am currently in Abu Dhabi for an international meeting under the auspices of the government of the UAE where I am the keynote speaker.

“Second, in view of the developments on Friday in the Sowore case, I think it would be insensitive and inappropriate to attend the ceremony.

“Please accept my heartfelt apologies and extend the same to the other members of the organising team. God bless you,” the Vice President’s letter reads.

The centre had yesterday postponed the presentation of the award to the Vice President following outrage over the conduct of the SSS at the court in Abuja last Friday.

“The postponement was decided on, to align with protests against the repression of freedom of speech in recent times especially the incident between the Department of State Security (DSS) and Omoyele Sowore, Publisher of Sahara Reporters, on Friday 6 December. The Vice President himself shares this awareness and the inappropriateness of the award at this point,” Motunrayo Alaka, the Executive Director of the WSCIJ said.

The WSCIJ holds the award presentation event on December 9, the World Anti-Corruption Day and eve of the World Human Rights Day to highlight the importance of investigative reporting as a tool for accountability, good governance and social justice in a democracy.

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