A GROUP of protesters on Friday 17 January had claimed that the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo – Agege is a United States Convict and must resign from the Senate House while demanding prosecution from the State Security Services (SSS).
According to reports, the group alleged to be in possession of information that revealed Omo-Agege was numerously convicted by a State Bar Court in Los Angeles, United States of America.
Solomon Adodo, the spokesperson for the coalition of Civil Society Organisations demanded that the law enforcement agencies most especially the SSS take immediate action to prosecute Omo-Agege for breaching the 1999 Nigerian constitution as amended.
Adodo and the group alleged that Omo-Agege hid incriminating information about himself from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which allowed him to participate in the 2019 general elections, a contravention of constitutional provisions.
The protesters had placards that urged the SSS to prosecute Omo Agege for alleged breach of the rules of the Nigerian Senate and the Nigerian constitutional provisions.
Senate, Omo – Agege and authorities remain silent
According to a document made available to The ICIR, a United States Court in California had barred a particular “Augustine Omo – Agege” on 30th November 1998, from the practice of law for two years.
In an effort to confirm if the deputy senate president is also Augustine Omo Agege, The ICIR, contacted the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), to Omo-Agege, Yomi Odunuga, he refused to explain if the Deputy Senate President is the Augustine Omo – Agege as mentioned in the letter by the California State Court.
When The ICIR reporter asked him this question, he said ‘I am not going to answer that question’.
Spokesperson to the SSS, Peter Afunnanya was also contacted to know if they are investigating the petition as presented to them by the group of protesters but he has not responded yet.
After he had declined calls from The ICIR, a text message was sent to him on Friday evening which he is yet to reply.
The ICIR can confirm that the Afunnanya received the message via WhatsApp but refused to reply up to the moment of filing this report.
It remains unclear why the DSS are silent concerning the petition submitted by the group and why Omo-Agege’s spokesperson, Odunuga’s refused to comment on the issue when contacted by The ICIR.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94