Coalition knocks Sowore over ‘viral theatrics,’ defends Umahi on alleged campaign debt
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) has come out in defence of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, dismissing allegations of unpaid campaign debts as inconsistent and
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) has come out in defence of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, dismissing allegations of unpaid campaign debts as inconsistent and lacking credible documentation.
The group also took a swipe at activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, accusing him of dramatising a civil matter and resorting to what it described as “viral theatrics” instead of lawful engagement.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, COCSON’s National Spokesperson, Olawale Oladimeji, said the controversy — which followed a confrontation at the Federal Capital Territory Police Command yesterday — should be resolved through legal channels rather than social media sensationalism.
“We gather at a time when responsible civic engagement, restraint, and respect for due process are essential to national stability,” the coalition said in a prepared statement delivered by its National Spokesperson, Olawale Oladimeji.
A video circulating online shows Sowore publicly accusing Umahi of misusing police authority over an alleged private dispute involving Mrs Tracy Nicholas Ohiri.
At the centre of the storm are claims that Umahi owes ₦24.5 million for campaign materials allegedly supplied during the 2015 Ebonyi State governorship election.
The coalition also raised questions about the discrepancy involved in the alleged amount.
According to the coalition, the minister’s office has maintained that the matter is under lawful review and that the claims are “contradictory and unsupported by verifiable documentation.”
COCSON said its internal review of the matter revealed what it termed “serious logical gaps” in the allegations.
The group stated, “Governorship campaigns are not informal roadside transactions. They operate through structured committees, procurement channels, documented approvals, and financial oversight.”
The coalition further queried the absence of documentation to back the claim.
“If goods worth ₦24.5 million were genuinely supplied in 2015: Where is the written contract? Where are the delivery notes? Where is acknowledgement of receipt? Where is documented demand immediately after the election? Why wait nearly a decade before going public?
“Transactions of that magnitude do not rest on verbal understanding alone. They are supported by documentation. The absence of such documentation naturally weakens the credibility of the allegation,” it added.
On the timing of the claim, the group asked, “If the alleged transaction occurred in 2015, why escalate to social media in 2026? Nigeria’s judicial system provides avenues for civil debt recovery. Legitimate claims are pursued through demand letters, arbitration, and court filings, not viral recordings.”
While acknowledging citizens’ constitutional right to free expression, COCSON warned against what it described as the growing weaponisation of digital platforms.
It stressed that if the matter is purely contractual, it remains a civil dispute.
The coalition further stated, “Social media is not a court of law. Nigeria faces a growing trend where social media is weaponised as a substitute for legal institutions. Emotional appeal becomes evidence. Public sympathy becomes strategy. This is dangerous.”
“Civil disputes belong in courtrooms, not in viral confrontations staged for public spectacle. Governance cannot be interrupted by every unverified social media accusation.”
COCSON also cautioned against invoking gender-based advocacy narratives without proof.
“Serious societal causes lose credibility when sensitive claims are deployed without substantiation. Justice must be rooted in verifiable facts.”
Defending Umahi’s record from his time as Ebonyi State governor to his current role overseeing federal road infrastructure, the coalition stated: “A leader tasked with supervising multi-billion naira infrastructure projects is unlikely to be entangled in undocumented financial disputes dating back nearly a decade.
“If there is evidence, let it be presented in court. If there is documentation, let it be tested legally. If there is proof, let competent authorities adjudicate.”
COCSON announced plans to stage a solidarity rally in support of the minister on March 3, as a counter to a protest being mobilised against him.
The coalition stated: “We ask Nigeria to join us to shame Sowore and his cohorts and not to join the proposed rally against the Minister.
“We reaffirm that no citizen is above the law. Equally, no citizen should be publicly condemned without proof. Justice must be evidence-driven. Governance must not be derailed by distraction.”
