Abuja Lawyer Faults Apostle Suleman's Media Trial, Raises 10 Posers

A Muslim legal practitioner based in Abuja, Danladi Umar has come to the defence of Apostle Johnson Suleman. He faulted the media trial of the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries.

Danladi Umar on Sunday, March 13 faulted the allegation by Stephanie Otobo, that she had an amorous relationship with Apostle Johnson Suleman.

Umar said Otobo's demand for the sum of N500 million could be a voyage to reaping where she did not sow.

He also faulted what he described as the media trial of the cleric and wondered what it was meant to achieve.

According to him, the claim of a purported amorous relationship including a supposed proposal by the cleric to marry Otobo and further clarification of introduction ceremony purportedly at the headquarters of the church in Auchi, Edo state, were laced with unbelief.

Umar told journalists that the allegations were against the claims by Otobo's lawyer, Festus Keyamo, that Apostle Suleman took drinks to her parents and kinsmen to ask for her hand in marriage.

His words: "My view piece is precipitated by the many-sidedness of Otobo's account and those of her lawyers as one begins to wonder what the motive for the media trial is meant to achieve outside bringing down an outspoken preacher.

"Consistently, they've been sounding fricative like irregular verbs in Latin with both erroneous and conflicting allegations against Apostle Suleman.

"My sympathy goes to the Christain faith because even as a moslem, I am at the risk of discussing this otherwise laughable and ridiculous string of allegations which even the unlettered and uncertificated would at once find to be the desperate efforts of the said lady and her gang to nail the Senior Pastor of the church, it has become pertinent to ask the following salient questions to unravel the truth or otherwise of the claims."

Umar then raised 10 posers to justify his argument:

1. What are the details of the alleged marriage proposal made by the man of God to Ms Otobo,where and when did this happen? What are the names of those present and where are the pictures of those who allegedly attended the event? If this is not a mere concoction, why are these details not provided by Ms. Otobo?

2. Why has the key actors in this unfolding, albeit failing drama been unable to produce the slightest evidence of the purported formal introduction of the Apostle to Ms. Otobo’s family?"

3. Who's to be believed, Sahara Reporters, Festus Keyamo or Ms. Otobo as to when the Apostle reportedly took drinks and gifts to the family? Was this done clandestinely at night and at a time when pictures could not be taken? Was it a cult introduction? With Ms Otobo’s father denouncing any such event ever taking place, will any reasonable person still believe any other account of Ms Otobo and her gang?

4. On what the basis would a man of God of a global scope and reach like the Apostle, put away his wife of many years and friend of even many more years who has laboured with him in ministry only to go for a lady who wears a pink or orange hair? How reasonably could he explain this to his congregation spread across the globe? Is there not too much at stake for him to embark on such a journey to nowhere?

5. In the Sahara Reporters’ article of March 5, they stated that Ms Otobo’s relationship with the man of God got so strong that she began to follow him around the world for programs and choosing sermon topics for the Man of God. All of these with the knowledge of members of the Church? And no one asked questions? If these allegations are not blatant lies from the pit of hell, why couldn’t Ms Otobo mention the names of all the programs and locations she accompanied the Apostle to, the sermon topics she chose for the Apostle and through what means she chose the topics for the Apostle. She would rather make bogus and blanket claims because she is well aware that if she provides any details, abundant evidence will be produced to show the sheer fallacy of her claims.

6. Why has no other person come out to corroborate Ms Otobo’s claims, with her own father dissociating himself from her illusionary claims?

7. Which man of God, having promised to marry a lady, will at the same time be requesting to have a three-some with that lady and her friends? Assuming, without conceding that the lady were tangentially correct and that this could happen, what manner of lady would insist on marrying such a man and even go ahead to demand for N500 million on the allegation that the man failed to marry her?

8. The letter from Festus Keyamo's chamber purportedly written to the Apostle is dated March 3, which is the same date both the Lagos lawyer and Ms Otobo alleged that she was arrested by the police. The same day! When did Ms Otobo brief my learned colleague of the matter to have enabled him to write to the Apostle on the same day? Before, during or after Ms Otobo was arrested? Is this not looking like a poorly written Nollywood script?

9. The letter from Festus Keyamo & Co purportedly written to the Inspector General of Police is dated Saturday, March 4, on a weekend! So when was the letter dispatched? Did the IGP get the letter before the chamber released same to the press and to have been carried same day by Sahara Reporters? I leave you to fill in the gaps!

10. The Sahara Reporters article indicates that the man of God convinced Ms Otobo to return to Nigeria and she returned to Nigeria last week! The letter from Festus Keyamo states that the man of God has been threatening Ms Otobo. So when did the threats start? All within last week when she purportedly relocated to Nigeria on a reconciliatory journey? Are these not clearly a misguided cacophony of blue murder cries? Is it not clear that the demand by Ms Otobo and her paymasters of a whopping sum of N500 million is nothing but a voyage to reaping where they have not sown? #

- Lawyers are trained to confuse issues and win case. Stephanie's father has divorced her mum about 30 years ago, so he would most likely not be present in her introduction (if it's true), especially when he believes she behaves like her mum. 

- The simple answers are; Bank transactions and flight tickets/passport stamps of both parties, and CCTV footage of the hotels she has mentioned. No need to confuse a simple issue with long grammer.