2019: We Didn’t Endorse Sanwo-Olu–CDHR

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights(CDHR) on Friday denied endorsing Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the 2019 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State.

Mr Olumuyiwa Kushimo, CDHR Spokesman, in Lagos on Friday dissociated the group from the purported endorsement of Sanwo-Olu by a group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the state.

“Our attention has been drawn to an online publication of a media outfit www.newsmakerng.com dated 20th December, 2018.

“In the publication, the CDHR name was listed amongst 70 Civil Society Organisations that  supports the candidature of  Sanwo-Olu, the governorship candidate of APC in the forthcoming governorship election in Lagos State.

“We wish to appeal to the sensibility of  the members of  CDHR across the country and members of the public to disregard such news and claims.

“It is nothing but a fraudulent voyage to use the name of our dear organisation for personal gains by some unscrupulous elements,”  Kushimo said.

According to him, the CDHR President, Mr Gbenga Soloki, wishes to remind the people that the CDHR was founded on the ideals of sustenance and promotion of fundamental human rights as emphasised in the international covenants and other regional treaties of Human Rights.

“We are all aware, more importantly, that CDHR has been in the fore front of the fight for democracy and good governance but not to take stand in the endorsement and or support of any candidate in an election in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.

“It is to our dismay that some elements will be so courageous enough to attempt to bring down the labour of our great leaders and fallen heroes who fought and died to ensure a better society in Nigeria with porridge and personal gains,” he said.

Kushimo urged the public to ignore such a discrediting misinformation that the CDHR was represented during the said endorsement by some civil society groups.

According to him, those dragging the CDHR name to the centre of political grandstanding and possible attack, risks imprisonment for impersonation and discrediting the group.

Kushimo advised Sanwo-Olu and his campaign team to be wary of persons who would go any mile to deceiving them under whatever name to buy his attention.

“CDHR urges all candidates to play the game of politics fairly in the forthcoming 2019 General Elections,” he said.

NAN recalls that some sections of the media on Thursday reported that about 70 CSOs in Lagos endorsed Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State gubernatorial candidate of the APC for the 2019 governorship election.