One Nigeria Youths, the organisers of One Nigeria Festival, has taken a swipe at the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) over what it described as a `false allegation’ leveled against the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung.
The group’s Coordinator, Magnus Oku, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said that it was unfair for a civil rights organisation that should be known for fairness and justice to make baseless conclusions without due consultations and verification.
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CHRSJ recently said it would drag Dalung before the various anti-graft agencies alleging that the sports minister diverted the sum of N7.2 billion in his ministry.
CHRSJ said that money was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to the ministry for the promotion of a world boxing championship fight involving a former world cruiserweight champion, Bash Alli.
Oku said that Dalung had displayed visionary and practical leadership in his quest to bring about reforms in the nation’s youth and sports sector and it would be unfair to throw stones at a man leading a course of change.
He warned that there were serious legal consequences for any party or group that was caught making wrong allegations.
The coordinator said that a credible organisation should be able to distance itself from any form of defamatory statement.
“As a youth organisation that has been following the recent development in the youths and sports sector, and knowing Dalung for his fight against injustice, One Nigeria Youths seriously condemns such frivolous and false claims.
“We want to advice that the parties involved should ensure they do their consultations and verification well before making and claims.
“Above all, having uncovered the truth, I suggest that for the sake of integrity, the parties involved should apologise to the ministry,’’ he said.
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Dalung, had in his reaction, described the allegation as a cheap attempt to hug the headline in a quest for relevance.
He said that no such money was ever approved from the Ministry or Presidency.