Ahead of the 2023 general election, Aniocha north Local Government of Delta State has gone all in on what some political watchers describe as high handedness and intimidation. In an era that hate speech is loosing it’s meaning, it is becoming increasingly difficult to appreciate rules of civility. On the flip side, what could be rightly construed as acceptable criticism of public office holders and what etiquette guards and guides such interaction?
The onus of proof lies with the law maker who has police protection and Aniocha North people who know the true story
~ Comr Osita Biose
The member re- presenting Aniocha North Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi last Friday petiitioned one Mr. Emeka Chianugo,a.k.a. Pronto ,an indigene of Issele -Uku, over alleged defamation of character and threat to life.
Chianugo, who was granted bail on Friday 18,2022 by the Police in Asaba, told journalists that his ordeal started after he responded to a comment made on the constituency’s WhatsApp platform.
According to Pronto ,someone had posted on the platform that there was no vacancy in the Aniocha North constituency, and that Nwaobi will not relenquish his Assembly position to
anybody ,come rain, come shine .
“But I responded that it is not a birth rite”,explaining
that “Nwaobi did not even win the primaries that gave him the ticket in 2014 and 2018 respectively.”
“Uzoma Idaboh won in 2014 and was robbed, and in 2018, Bazim Biose was leading when suddenly one Tobechukwu Ukwamedua ,on receiving signal from Emma Chinye with the support of security operatives and Chiedu Ebie stormed the scene and disrupted the election exercise , in order to perfect the emergence of Nwaobi.”
Surprisingly,I was at Issele -Uku my hometown on Friday November 18;in the morning when police officers from the State command stormed my residence, telling me that one Emeka Nwaobi petitioned the State police commissioner ,that I came to his house with thugs and cultists to attack him,which was astonishing ,because I don’t know his house and he moves with Police officers who would have witnessed it ,if it happened.
They demanded that I should follow them to the office of the Rapid Response Squad for questioning. As a law abiding citizen,I obeyed.I was there,wrote my statement,before one elder,Comrade Osita Biose bailed me unconditionally.”
However, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the said Pronto was detained on the instruction of the lawmaker and but was later bailed by Comrade Osita Biose, Chairman Emeritus, and Peace Ambassador of the NUJ, Delta State Council.
When contacted, Biose told journaliats in Asaba that the alleged case of libel and threat to life should not be criminalized, stating that the onus of proof lies with the lawmaker who has police protection and people of Aniocha North that know the story.
He however called for civilized and democratic attitude, devoid of intimidation on the part of the politicians to move the constituency forward, since we will remain brothers even after the elections in 2023.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Delta Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the arrest of Chianugo but said that he has been granted bail in line with the law.
He said that investigations into the allegations made by the lawmaker against Chianugo were ongoing and that justice would be served.
When contacted through phone , Hon. Emeka Nwaobi did not pick.
When contacted, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi did not pick but sent a text that he will call back, which he never did.
