By Zik Gbemre

With regards to the media reports where the National President of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Solomon Adodo, accused Hon. Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of being convicted by a Californian Court in the United States of America (USA), in my own opinion, if someone was arrested, questioned and even tried in court, but was not convicted of any crime, then that person cannot be said to have committed any crime, or guilty of any crime. The US Judiciary and Legal system are far more advanced and credible than what we have here in Nigeria and other African countries. So, an arrest and trial in the US law court without any conviction, is ‘no offence committed’. Since it has been established that he was arrested and not convicted by a California US court, no crime took place. As such, this subject should not be made an issue by anyone or group of persons.

Senator Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District in Delta State at the Senate, and is also the Deputy Senate President, has already come out and clarified that though, he was tried as a young attorney during his legal career in California, US, BUT HE WAS NEVER FOUND GUILTY OF THE ALLEGATION PROFFERED AGAINST HIM. According to a statement signed by Senator Omo-Agege’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, he said the Deputy Senate President, having been cleared of all allegation remains an active member of the State of California Bar Association, where he was alleged to have been convicted. Reacting to the fresh allegations too, Omo-Agege, said he was cleared of wrong doing in the case filed against him back then when he was still practicing law in the US.

For me, this is another case of the ‘Pull Him Down’ (PHD) syndrome, which, unfortunately, is very common amongst our people here in this part of the country, and often used as weapon to make mockery/jest of/destroy the political image of political opponents and people perceived as ‘political enemies’. But regardless of anything, this PHD Syndrome needs to stop. Omo-Agege himself, who was said to have recently visited the USA and Canada for personal and official reasons, has claimed that politicians, who are still bitter over his election victory and elevation to Deputy Senate President, were behind the fresh attack to blackmail and ridicule his personality.

I believe if we must criticize, it must be done constructively and logically based of verifiable facts and realities on ground, and not to run people down, chasing the wind and shadows, make mockery of them, or even blackmail them just to rubbish one’s political career and position occupied in Government space. Or damage or dent their image in the public’s eye. This ill-practice will profit our people nothing. If the person has committed the crime and was found guilty, then it is a different thing entirely, and not when it is obvious that no crime was committed, based on the court’s judgment.

It is immoral for any group of persons or the said Youth Council to be used by politicians to blackmail political opponents. I am not here to speak for, or defend Senator Omo-Agege, neither am I looking for any relevance. I am only saying things the way I see them, without fear or favour and regardless of who or what is concerned. The idea of using paid writers and paid groups to blackmail people is absolutely wrong.

Zik Gbemre.

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