Former Education Minister, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili has demanded a public apology from popular social media influencer, Japheth Omojuwa over alleged unauthorised use of her name as a Director in his company, Alpha Reach Limited.
This was contained in a letter dated April 9, 2021, and addressed to Omojuwa by Ezekwesili’s lawyers, Falana and Falana’s Chambers.
The letter signed by a lawyer at the firm, Marshall Abubakar explained that Alpha Reach Limited was incorporated at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to render general construction services.
The letter listed Omojuwa as Promoter and Chief Strategist of Alpha Reach.
According to Abubakar’s letter, Omojuwa, Damilola Ogunleye, Ezekwesili and Nasir El-Rufai (current Governor of Kaduna State) were listed as Directors of the company at the time of incorporation through Form CAC7.
The letter further stated that on June 14, 2017, Ezekwesili’s name was expunged as a Director via a Notice of Change of Directors (Form CAC7A) with Mallam Indimi Ahmed Mohammed announced as her replacement.
However, Abubakar said that on March 30, 2021, an official from Buzzfeed, an American media company, drew his client’s attention to her listing as a Director in Alpha Reach alongside Omojuwa and El-Rufai.
He said his client informed the Buzzfeed official that she was certain that she did not incorporate any company with the duo.
The lawyer said that his client was taken aback when the official forwarded Form CAC7 to her in which she was listed as a Director of Alpha Reach Limited.
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The lawyer said that when his client contacted Omojuwa, he denied listing her as a Director in the company.
He said that when his client demanded the incorporation documents from Omojuwa for confirmation of his claim of her non-involvement, he promised to get back to her with the documents but never did.
Abubakar said that upon conducting due diligence, he discovered that Omojuwa never sought and therefore never got his client’s consent to list her as a Director of the company.
He further stated that Omojuwa never sought and never obtained the requisite incorporation documents and information needed by CAC to process the registration.
Abubakar’s letter read that “post 2017, the Alpha Reach Company Limited metamorphosed from being a general construction company to a Digital Media Company engaged in Online Reputation Mangement while you; Mr Japheth Omojuwa is its Founder and Chief Strategist”.
Ezekwesili, therefore, demanded a public statement/apology exonerating her from the incorporation process and activities of Alpha Reach Limited.
She also demanded a detailed account of the circumstances leading to the incorporation of Alpha Reach Limited as well as Certified True Copies of all the incorporation documents submitted at the Corporate Affairs Commission in the course of registering the company.
Such details, she demanded, must include the financial dealings of the company since incorporation in 2012.
Abubakar’s letter stated that his client would pursue all legal avenues to seek redress should the demands not be met by Omojuwa.
The Herald can report that Alpha Reach has been in the eyes of the storm since its name featured prominently in investigations by Buzzfeed into an online campaign seeking the release of detained Colombian suspected money launderer, Alex Saab, which went viral on Nigerian Twitter.
Twitter suspended more than 1,500 accounts linked to the Saab campaign on its platform, stating that the accounts violated its rules.
This newspaper can report that Buzzfeed contacted Ezekwesili over her link with Alpha Reach in the wake of the Saab campaign.
However, Alpha Reach has denied involvement in the Saab campaign.
In a statement he signed on behalf of the company, Omojuwa said, “Alpha Reach, as an organization, was not involved in the campaign making rounds. And neither did any Alpha Reach staff pay anyone on behalf of Alpha Reach.
“The speculation that the company was involved in the campaign is therefore not true. We are also aware that Twitter cleared accounts associated with the said campaign.
“It is pertinent to note that none of those accounts had any link or affiliation with our company.
“On another note, Alpha Reach wishes to state that at no time was Dr. Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili a part-owner of Alpha Reach, and she is not a member of the Alpha Reach board.
“This clarification is necessary because of insinuations being made that she is/was a co-owner of Alpha Reach. Thank you
“Signed – jj. Omojuwa”.
Alpha Reach Limited was incorporated in Abuja, Nigeria with registration number 1066507 on September 20, 2012, with its registered office address located at E18 Sharif plaza Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
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