The
lawyer said the White Paper committee set up by Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu to review the findings of the panel did not have the legal
backing and competence to edit, modify, alter or reject the report of the
commission.
He said, “When the government set up a White Paper committee a fortnight ago, I questioned its legal validity. It was my view that since the committee is unknown to law, the members were not competent to edit, modify, alter, edit or reject the report of the commission, more so, that the members of White Paper committee did not have the opportunity of taking evidence from the witnesses who had testified before the commission.
“The
governor cannot reject the report, summary of evidence and findings of the
Okuwobi Judicial Commission in any material particular.
“In
a bid to discredit the findings of the Lagos State Judicial Panel on
Restitution for victims of SARS-Related Abuses and Other Matters, the White
Paper Committee acted ultra vires by advising the governor to accept, reject or
refer the recommendations of the panel to the Federal Government. Thus, the
state government arrogantly stated that the claim that nine people died at LTG
on October 21, 2020, from gunshots fired by the military are based on
assumptions and speculations.”
In
his reaction to the panel's report, Sanwo-Olu had regretted that the report
generated so much tension in the state.
The
governor also regretted that a leaked and unauthorized copy of the report led
to fierce, divisive debates in the mainstream and social media spaces.
He,
therefore, extended a hand of friendship to rap artiste Falz, comedian Debo
Adedayo aka Mr. Macaroni, EndSARS activists and civil society
organisations, whilst suing for peace, but they all rejected the governor's
proposed peace walk.