Foremost Nigerian attorneys, Olisa Agbakoba and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has said they are not a member of the National Consultative Front (NCF).
The NCF was formed on Wednesday as a new political movement “aimed at driving reforms” in the country.
The communiqué which announced the formation of the movement listed “30 eminent Nigerians” as members of the group.
Falana was listed alongside prominent lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’abba; Obadiah Mailafia, ex-deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Oby Ezekwesili.
Others are Abubakar Umar, Jibo Ibrahim, Chidi Odinkalu, Shehu Sani, a former senator; Remi Sonaiya, former presidential candidate; Tanko Yinusa, Shettima Yerima and Funke Awolowo.
Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) denied having any affiliation with the movement, saying he was not contacted before being added.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, he said: “Dear all, my attention has been drawn to a widely circulated story that I am part of a new political movement known as the National Consultative Front”.
“Without prejudice to the need for such a political movement, I want to place it on record that I was not consulted and so I am not part of the National Consultative Front”.
On his own part, Femi Falana in a statement on Friday, disowned the NCF, saying he was neither consulted nor did he attend the meeting where the movement was launched.
Although the human rights lawyer commended the initiative for trying to create an alternative platform, he said the lack of consultation shows the “desperate situation progressive Nigerians find themselves in the bid to save Nigeria from what looks like an imminent shipwreck.”
Falana said he has been involved in several efforts to generate a new platform, adding that Nigerians will be briefed at the appropriate time.
“My attention has been drawn to the launching of the Nigerian Consultative Forum (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 recognize 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,” the statement read.
