By Moses Okorie
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) has expressed disbelief with the allegation of campaign debt involving Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi and one Mrs. Tracy Nicholas Ohiri, which was escalated by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, saying the claim lacks any iota of truth due to absence of a contract documents, and the fact that the supposed creditor decided to remain mute on the matter only to speak out about a decade after.
This was contained in an address delivered by COCSON National President Olawale Oladimeji on Thursday in Abuja, suggesting that after an independent review by their internal panel, they identified serious logical gaps that raise legitimate questions about the credibility of the viral claims.
They said: “Governorship campaigns are not informal roadside transactions. They operate through structured committees, procurement channels, documented approvals, and financial oversight. If goods worth ₦24.5 million were genuinely supplied in 2015, where is the written contract, the delivery notes, acknowledgement receipt, documented demand immediately after the election, and why wait nearly a decade before going public”, the coalition queried.
The group said transactions of that magnitude do not rest on verbal understanding alone. They are supported by documentation, and that the absence of such documentation naturally weakens the credibility of the allegation.
They also faulted the timing of the allegation that, “If the alleged transaction occurred in 2015, why escalate to social media in 2026? Nigeria’s judicial system provides avenues for civil debt recovery. Legitimate claims are pursued through demand letters, arbitration, and court filings, not viral recordings.
“Timing in public life is rarely accidental. When allegations surface many years later, without evidence of prior legal pursuit, the timing invites scrutiny, especially when the Minister is overseeing nationally strategic infrastructure projects”.
COCSON said the Minister has publicly indicated that the matter is subject to lawful investigation. Public agitation and digital outrage cannot replace structured inquiry, and they urged all parties to allow investigative authorities to conclude their work without politicization or emotional pressure.
They said if indeed there is a contractual disagreement between private parties, it remains a civil matter. Civil disputes belong in courtrooms, not in viral confrontations staged for public spectacle, and that governance cannot be interrupted by every unverified social media accusation.
“Nigeria faces a growing trend where social media is weaponized as a substitute for legal institutions. Emotional appeal becomes evidence. Public sympathy becomes strategy. This is dangerous. Accountability is essential, but it must be evidence driven, not sentiment driven.
“Advocacy for gender protection and justice is legitimate and necessary. However, serious societal causes lose credibility when sensitive claims are deployed without substantiation. Justice must be rooted in verifiable facts. Emotional framing must not override proof.
“Public officials must remain subject to scrutiny. However, reputations cannot be casually shredded without credible evidence. From his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State to his current position supervising federal road networks, the Minister’s public record reflects infrastructure driven leadership and execution focused governance”, COCSON stated.
They said Senator David Umahi currently oversees critical national road corridors central to economic growth, interstate commerce, and national integration, and this is not a ceremonial office, but performance measured and high pressure.
“A leader tasked with supervising multi-billion-naira infrastructure projects is unlikely to be entangled in undocumented financial disputes dating back nearly a decade”.
COCSON said it firmly rejected sensationalism disguised as activism. The pattern of public confrontation, viral theatrics, because reputational warfare does not strengthen democracy, but weakens institutional trust.
“Nigeria must learn to distinguish between whistleblowing and orchestrated distraction. If any individual has a legitimate grievance, the pathway is clear: present documentary evidence, file a civil action, and submit to judicial determination. Anything short of this invites legitimate questions about motive”, it warned.