(Minister of Works, David Umahi. Photo by Tribune Online)
Former Southeast spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Denge Josef Onoh, has criticised the seven-day ultimatum issued by the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, and allied groups demanding the resignation of Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, over the death of Miss Mary Habila.
In a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Onoh described Habila’s death as a tragic incident requiring a thorough, transparent and professional investigation by law enforcement, cautioning against attempts to exploit the tragedy for political ends.
He said that while the nation mourns alongside the deceased’s family and seeks justice, that justice must rest on facts, credible evidence and due process, rather than speculation, leaked allegations or manufactured outrage.
He argued that the NYCN’s ultimatum, backed by threats of nationwide protests, was not motivated by genuine concern for the deceased but by a deliberate political scheme aimed at undermining a prominent Southeast figure within Tinubu’s administration.
He said that rushing to judgment, issuing ultimatums, and threatening mass protests before police investigations or an independent autopsy are concluded trivialises the young woman’s death and weakens the rule of law.
Onoh stressed that under Nigeria’s constitution and criminal procedure laws, no public official or private citizen can be presumed guilty based on media reports, social media narratives or unverified claims.
He listed what he considered the necessary elements of due process, including a full police investigation, forensic collection and analysis of evidence, an independent autopsy involving the deceased’s family, and a judicial determination of any criminal liability, noting that Umahi had already publicly backed an independent autopsy and called for the investigation to proceed free of political interference.
Clarifying details around the case, Onoh said the deceased worked as a nurse attached to the minister and his staff, contrary to reports describing her as a physiotherapist.
He said her death occurred at the minister’s residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, after which family members alerted police and attempts were made to revive her at a teaching hospital.
He warned that mounting pressure on authorities through protests and political demands before investigators complete their work risks compromising evidence, intimidating witnesses and ultimately obstructing justice, describing the situation as a criminal investigation being turned into a political spectacle.
He further alleged that opposition figures were using the incident to settle political scores with Umahi and the Federal Government, describing it as politics being played with the dead rather than a genuine pursuit of justice.
Onoh also accused the NYCN and allied groups of selective outrage and inconsistency, arguing that similar demands were not made in earlier cases involving Northern political figures or major national tragedies.
He pointed to years of insecurity, banditry and insurgency across Northern Nigeria that have caused thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, noting that such crises never triggered comparable nationwide ultimatums or resignation demands from Southern groups.
He also referenced past controversies over the deaths and medical treatment of prominent Northern leaders, which he said were typically met with mourning and commentary rather than coordinated resignation campaigns.
According to him, Southeast socio-political and youth organisations have historically shown restraint by allowing law enforcement and the courts to determine culpability rather than mobilising ethnic or regional pressure.
He argued that the intensity of the campaign against a Southeast minister, compared to the absence of similar reactions in comparable or worse situations elsewhere, reveals the political motivation behind the current agitation rather than a genuine concern for justice.
Onoh warned that continued pressure from the NYCN risks undermining the integrity of the ongoing investigation, insisting that Umahi cannot be pronounced guilty through social media trials, viral campaigns or politically driven narratives, since Nigeria’s justice system does not operate on ultimatums or street protests that bypass evidence and due process.
He urged the Northern Youth Council to withdraw its ultimatum, avoid actions that could inflame ethnic tensions, and instead support a credible, independent investigation, stating that Mary Habila’s family deserves truth and justice, not political exploitation, and that any attempt to politicise the tragedy would ultimately be seen as divisive opportunism serving no one.
He concluded by calling for due process to prevail, stressing that Nigeria needs unity in the pursuit of justice rather than division driven by politics.
