Social critics, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar and Femi Falana, on Friday, denied their advertised membership of a new political movement, the National Consultative Forum (NCF).
Rights lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, on Thursday, also disproved his advertised involvement by the group.
Umar, a former military governor of old Kaduna State, in a short statement made available to newsmen, denied being part of the promoters of the new movement, regarded as the Third Force to the two dominant political parties in the country.
Quoting Umar: “My Dear Media Friends, my attention has been drawn to a widely-circulated story that I am part of the promoters of a new political movement known as the National Consultative Front. This is not true. I was never consulted and I am not part of the National Consultative Front,” the former governor said.
Falana, leading lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, in a statement also denied being a party to the new arrangement.
According to him: “My attention has been drawn to the launching of the Nigerian Consultative Front (NCF) 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. In this light I commend what appears to be the genuine motive of the organisers of the National Consultative Forum.
“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 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. I wish to add that there are several efforts I have been involved lately and I believe there is a growing perspective that all efforts should be harmonised for maximum impact.
“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.”
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