Falana disowns new political group

Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has dissociated himself from a new political group, National Consultative Front.

Falana disowned the group in a statement on Tuesday.

He said in the statement: “My attention has been drawn to the launching of the National Consultative Forum led by some notable Nigerians.

“I wish to commend all efforts aimed at creating an alternative platform with the potential of lifting the long suffering people of Nigeria from economic and political stupor. I also recognise the fact that some of the promoters of the NCF are people who are motivated by the common good. Many of them have made profound sacrifices to make Nigeria a better place to live.

“However, I observe that my name has been mentioned as one of the pillars behind this initiative. While I appreciate the concern of the leadership of the new group to enlist my support, I wish to say that at no time have I been consulted and neither did I attend the meeting where the forum was launched.

“I appreciate the almost desperate situation progressive Nigerians find themselves in the bid to save Nigeria from what looks like an imminent shipwreck. This might  have informed the haste with which many honest and dedicated hands find themselves.

“This clarification should not be conceived as opposition to all honest efforts designed to rescue Nigeria from the claws of abject poverty and increasing loss of hope.

“At the appropriate time, we shall come before Nigerians to present the new platform which would be predicated upon pro-masses oriented anti-poverty programme, and hopefully the founders of the new initiative will be proud not to be left out.”

Falana was not the first prominent Nigerian to denounce the group.

Earlier on Friday, a former Military Governor of Kaduna State, retired Colonel Dangiwa Umar, had dissociated himself from the movement.

The Coalition of United Political Parties and former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), had denied involvement in the formation of the new political movement.

The group had in statement on Wednesday listed over 30 prominent activists as members of the new political party.