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Tracy Ohiri: COCSON Defends Works Minister Umahi, faults Sowore’s Confrontation

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The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) has identified ‘serious logical gaps’ in claims made by Mrs Tracy Ohiri against the Minister of Works, David Nweze Umahi, while calling for restraint and adherence to due process following a public confrontation by activist Omoyele Sowore.

It will be recalled that on the 25th of February 2026 at the Federal Capital Territory Police Command in Abuja, a confrontation occurred involving Mr Sowore and the Minister of Works. A widely circulated video shows Mr Sowore publicly accusing the Minister of misusing police authority in relation to an alleged private dispute involving Mrs Tracy Nicholas Ohiri.

COCSON after carefully analysing the issue, presented a fact driven position during a press conference addressed by its National President, Olawale Oladimeji on Friday in Abuja.

The Coalition revealed that it will be organizing a solidarity rally in support of the Minister on the Tuesday 3rd of March, 2026 to counter a rally against the Minister proposed by Sowore and his cohorts.

The group maintained that the accuser’s accounts were inconsistent and contradictory, a position that could be attested by members of the public who have followed the developments, while warning against what it described as “sensationalism disguised as activism.”

Central to the allegations is a claim that Umahi owes ₦24.5 million for campaign materials allegedly supplied during the 2015 Ebonyi State governorship election. In separate online narratives, a ₦250 million figure has also been mentioned, creating what COCSON described as “inconsistencies” in the claims.

The minister’s office has maintained that the matter is under lawful review and that the allegations lack verifiable documentation.

On the way forward, COCSON reaffirmed that no citizen is above the law but cautioned against public condemnation without proof, insisting that “Justice must be evidence driven. Governance must not be derailed by distraction.”

The group also called on investigative authorities to conclude their work without politicization, insisting that accountability must be rooted in verifiable facts and institutional processes.

“COCSON shall be organizing a solidarity rally in support of the Minister on the Tuesday 3rd of March, 2026 to counter a rally against the Minister. We ask Nigeria to join us to shame Sowore and his cohorts and not to join the proposed rally against the Minister,” Oladimeji stated.

Other salient observations and issues raised by COCSON’s findings are as follows:

Questions Over Documentation and Timing

COCSON said its internal review identified “serious logical gaps” in the allegations. The coalition questioned the absence of written contracts, delivery notes, acknowledgments of receipt, and documented demands for payment dating back to 2015.

“Governorship campaigns operate through structured committees and documented procurement processes,” the group said, arguing that transactions worth millions of naira would not typically rest on verbal agreements alone.

The coalition also raised concerns about the timeline, asking why the issue surfaced publicly nearly a decade after the alleged transaction. It noted that Nigeria’s judicial system provides mechanisms for civil debt recovery, including demand letters, arbitration, and court filings.

“Timing in public life is rarely accidental,” COCSON stated, suggesting that the delay in public escalation warrants scrutiny.

Call for Due Process

COCSON emphasized that while freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed, it must operate within the bounds of evidence and legality.

“If there is evidence, let it be presented in court. If there is documentation, let it be tested legally,” the coalition said.

The group stressed that private contractual disputes should be resolved through the courts rather than through “viral confrontations staged for public spectacle,” warning against the growing trend of social media being used as a substitute for legal institutions.

Institutional Integrity and Governance

Defending the minister’s public record, COCSON highlighted Umahi’s tenure as former governor of Ebonyi State and his current oversight of federal road infrastructure projects, describing the office as “performance measured and high pressure.”

The coalition argued that governance should not be disrupted by unverified allegations circulating online and urged Nigerians to resist what it termed “emotional manipulation.”

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Hon. Hafiz Kawu Calls for Unity, Highlights Tinubu and Governor Yusuf’s Achievements in Kano

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Hon. Hafiz Kawu, Honourable Commissioner at PENCOM, has urged APC supporters and faithfuls in Kano State to rally behind the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Speaking live during a radio program in Kano, Hon. Kawu OON, MNI delivered a compelling message of reconciliation and renewed commitment to the ruling party’s vision for development.

In his remarks, Hon. Kawu emphasized the importance of President Tinubu’s administration to Kano’s progress, pointing to several landmark projects that have reshaped the state’s infrastructure and economic outlook. He cited the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway reconstruction and the dualization of the Kano–Kongolom Road as evidence of federal commitment to easing transportation and boosting trade. He also highlighted the modernization of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and the approval of the Kano Light Rail project as transformative investments in transportation.

Hon. Kawu further pointed to the AKK Gas Pipeline as a strategic investment that will power industries, create jobs, and strengthen Kano’s role as a commercial hub. He noted that the appointments of Kano indigenes into key federal positions demonstrate the President’s recognition of Kano’s strategic importance in national politics.

Turning to state-level initiatives, Hon. Kawu praised Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s urban renewal and rural connectivity projects, including the construction of the Dan Agundi Interchange, the Tal’udu Cloverleaf Overpass, and the revival of 5KM roads across 44 local governments. He described these projects as complementary to federal efforts, ensuring that both urban and rural communities benefit from development.

Addressing internal party divisions, Hon. Kawu noted: “This is the time to set aside differences and return to the fold. The projects we see today are only the beginning of greater things to come under APC leadership. Unity is the key to victory, and victory is the key to sustaining development.”

His live radio broadcast blended detailed references to federal achievements under President Tinubu with state-level initiatives under Governor Yusuf, leaving listeners with a clear message: Kano’s future is tied to APC’s success, and every supporter has a role to play in securing that future.

As the broadcast concluded, Hon. Kawu emphasized that cohesion across the APC structure remains the decisive factor in the political contest ahead. He stressed that only a united APC — working seamlessly from the grassroots to the national stage — can secure victories across all levels of governance and sustain the momentum of development. His words positioned unity not as a plea, but as a strategic imperative for the party’s continued dominance and for the progress of Kano and Nigeria at large.

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Nigeria Is Not a Muslim Country — Rev Dachomo Counters Sheikh Jingir

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The Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has rejected comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, that Nigeria is a Muslim country.

Jingir had reportedly made the remarks during a programme in Kano State over the weekend while expressing support for the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim political arrangement.

The cleric argued that Muslims constitute the majority in Nigeria and should therefore have the opportunity to lead the country. He also reportedly referred to Christians as infidels and suggested that Christians who were unhappy with the arrangement could leave the country.

Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Dachomo strongly opposed the comments, insisting that Nigeria is a multi-religious nation and “is not and can never be a Muslim country.”

The COCIN chairman cautioned Jingir and other religious leaders against making statements capable of deepening religious divisions or creating hostility between Christians and Muslims.

Dachomo argued that political leadership should not be determined by religious numerical strength but by competence, justice, good governance and the ability to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

“Nigeria is a multi-religious country in which Muslims and Christians have historically participated in the political process and contributed to the development of the nation,” he said.

He urged religious leaders to exercise caution when commenting on political matters, particularly issues capable of affecting relations between religious communities.

According to him, linking political leadership to religious majority could create the impression that one faith has greater ownership of Nigeria than another.

“I urge religious leaders to be mindful of their public statements, particularly when discussing politics and issues capable of affecting relations between different religious communities,” Dachomo added.

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Muslim-Muslim ticket: No regret over my statement – Sheikh Jingir

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Islamic cleric and leader of the Izala Scholars Council, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, has stood his ground over his Muslim-Muslim ticket comments and description of Christians as “infidels.”

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Jingir said he had no regrets over his recent declaration of support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, despite the criticism trailing the statement.

He said his position was not politically motivated or intended to campaign for President Bola Tinubu, but was based on what he described as his responsibility as a Muslim.

According to the Islamic cleric, he would continue to support and encourage Muslims to back a Muslim-Muslim ticket, regardless of the criticism his position might attract.

“I have no regrets. I will continue to support and encourage the Muslim-Muslim ticket. What they say will not stop me. They started it; at a point, we suffered in their hands,” he alleged.

DAILY POST recalls that Jingir, during a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples, declared his support for the Muslim-Muslim arrangement and urged Muslims to vote in a manner that would demonstrate their numerical strength in the country.

He further stated that, as a Muslim preacher, he had the right to advocate a political arrangement that was consistent with his religious convictions.

The cleric also challenged claims that Christians or other religious groups constituted a larger proportion of Nigeria’s population than Muslims.

His remarks have continued to generate reactions, with some commentators describing them as divisive, while others have defended his right to express his religious and political views.

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