The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights ((CDHR) has described as false, the orchestration of desperate politicians, news trending both online and in the newspapers that the CDHR was among the purported 70 civil society organisations that endorsed Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as Lagos State Governor in the forthcoming 2019 gubernatorial election.

A statement signed by Comr. Folarin Olayinka, CDHR National Secretary, said that “there cannot be anything farther from the truth.”

According to the statement issued on Thursday in Lagos: “To be sure, CDHR remains and maintains its apolitical posture in the assessment of Nigerian political situation as a non-political, non-governmental and foremost civil society organisation in Nigeria.

“CDHR condemns in strong terms, this unfortunate, desperate but failed attempt by unscrupulous elements to legitimise their political maneuvering by associating CDHR with the publication under reference.

“Endorsement of Political candidates no less that of Mr Sanwo-Olu of APC Lagos State has never been an agenda of our great organisation. No organ of our great organization, whether National Executive Committee, National Council, State Executive Council or the Board of Trustees ever discussed the subject of that publication, let alone the purported endorsement as erroneously published to our embarrassment.

“We, therefore, discredit the publication and warn desperate politicians to desist from dropping our organisation’s name in their stride to score political goals as the CDHR will not hesitate to drag any impostor, political parties or party candidates to the court of law for redress. Our unbiased roles prior, during and post-election cannot be manipulated for whatever gain.”

Reacting in a statement, Modupe Ogunbayo, Director, Media & Publicity/Spokesperson of Mr. Jimi Agbaje, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Lagos, said the incident is symptomatic of the synonymity of APC with everything less truthful and honourable.

Her words: “It is out of the bounds of human decency to appropriate a respected body like CDHR in a vain attempt to legitimise wide acceptance of the civil rights establishment and Lagosians in a gubernatorial bid which for the APC, is dead on arrival.

“All inhabitants of Lagos are aware that the APC and its gubernatorial flag bearer in Lagos do not enjoy their goodwill and respect. Lagosians are aware of the plethora of pathetic pathological lies and desperation of APC to curry their favour by Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his platform of political traders called APC. Their disjointed lies have been exposed for the world to see.

“Stunts like this is part of what I intend to free Lagos from.”

She enjoined Lagosians to continue to be self-aware and politically-astute in the countdown to the Lagos gubernatorial election “because the campaign of lies by the APC is bound to intensify. He lauded the CDHR for its dogged commitment to the truth and freedom for all.”