Habila’s death: Calls for Umahi’s resignation premature, unjustified  – Ohanaeze

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has described calls for the resignation of the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, over the death of Miss Mary Habila as premature.

Dr Ezechi Chukwu, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, said in a statement on Friday in Enugu, that the call for resignation had no sufficient justification.

Mr Chukwu said that Habila’s death was tragic and deserved a thorough, professional and transparent investigation before any political conclusions would be drawn.

He expressed sadness over Habila’s death and extended condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.

Mr Chukwu urged Nigerians to exercise restraint and avoid comments capable of prejudicing the ongoing investigation or causing unnecessary public anxiety.

He also cautioned political actors, pressure groups and commentators against politicising the incident, stressing that the loss of human life should not be exploited for political or sectional interests.

The publicity secretary commended Umahi for calling for a comprehensive forensic autopsy and investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.

He expressed support for the ongoing investigation by relevant authorities, urging that it should be conducted impartially, professionally and without interference.

According to him, the outcome of the investigation should be guided solely by facts, scientific evidence and due process.

On the calls for Umahi’s resignation, he maintained that such demands were unjustified at this stage.

“The mere fact that death occurred within the premises where an individual resides or is present does not, in itself, establish culpability or warrant demands for resignation.

“Such an unfortunate occurrence could happen in any person’s home or environment, and responsibility can only be determined through a credible investigation based on evidence,” Mr Chukwu said.

He added that Nigeria remained a nation governed by the rule of law and the constitutional principle that every citizen was presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“It would therefore, be inconsistent with the ideals of justice and fairness to impose political consequences before the relevant authorities have concluded their investigations and established the facts,” Mr Chukwu said.

He urged Nigerians to remain calm, allow the investigation to run its full course and refrain from speculative narratives capable of undermining public confidence in public institutions or prejudicing the search for truth.

Mr Chukwu expressed hope that the investigation would uncover the truth, provide Habila’s family with the answers they deserved and ensure that justice was served, in line with due process.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of Miss Mary Habila.

“We trust that the ongoing investigation will uncover the truth, provide the family with the answers they deserve, and ensure that justice, guided by evidence and due process, is ultimately served,” he said.

NAN