Re: “Taraba Muslim communities reject APC candidate, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha ahead of election” [A rejoinder]

Insecurity, poverty, hunger, absence of basic social amenities and other
allied vices that often hurl missiles of sorrow against the common man in
Nigeria, including Taraba State, due to bad governance do not care about
religious, ethnic and cultural differences. When the masses have exercised
their franchise at the polls in electing those that would represent them in
government, they must smile or wail together from the acts or omissions of
those they have chosen to lead them.

And, in the part of the world it is not unusual to find a few agents of
darkness or group, particularly those who have nothing to offer to the
people or are not interested in the unity and progress of society, whose
business it is to fan the embers of religious, ethnic or cultural differences or
hire their agents to do so during elections so as to cause division among
the people. One such persons is a certain faceless Oluwatosin Alex.

In an online platform known as “Thegeniusmedia” of March 9, 2023, the
said Oluwatosin Alex in, in a publication captioned “Taraba Muslim
Communities Reject APC Candidate, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha Ahead of
Election”, attempted but in vain to use religion, false, malicious and
baseless but weighty allegations against the person of the Distinguished
Senator Bwacha with the sole intent to cause division in the State.

The said faceless individual claimed that Senator Bwacha visited some Local
Government Areas, particularly in the Northern Senatorial Zone “to sell his
candidacy and also push the religion narrative but was vehemently rejected
by a total rejection by the populace of the communities”.
In a rather contradictory tone and also from an uninformed standpoint, the
said fake Oluwatosin Alex shot himself in the foot by stating that the

Distinguished Senator Bwacha “currently does not know if he is a
contestant or not because the INEC has refused to include his name on the
ballot. He was in court a few days ago to seek an order asking electoral
commission to include his name but no positive development has come
out”.

Not yet done, the purported Oluwatosin Alex had the temerity to level such
weighty allegations against the Distinguished Senator alleging that he is
“conniving with INEC officials to rig the election, making plans to
manipulate the BVAS device, attempting to contaminate the security
system during the election, and many more”.

Unfortunately for this hired faceless Oluwatosin Alex, APC is a party whose
primary concern is to uplift the living standard of the masses in Nigeria and
whose manifesto has no place for religious, ethnic or cultural sentiments.
This is evident by the emergence of Tinubu and Shetima both as President-
elect and Vice President – elect respectively, who ran on the muslim-
muslim ticket.

Secondly, it is on record on the media that Distinguished Senator Bwacha
was overwhelmingly received by the people of the communities mentioned
by the purported writer contrary to the warped and false representation
being made by the said faceless Alex. What is more, as could be seen from
the said publication, it is clear that those weighty allegations raised therein
have no iota of proof in support of such of the allegations. It is therefore,
clear that the purported Oluwatosin either has some evil agenda against
the APC and its Candidate or is hired by some disgruntled elements to
blackmail the Distinguished Senator Bwacha. However, whichever way, it is
glaring that the said faceless individual did not do his ‘job’ well.

The said Oluwatosin Alex, indeed, further betrayed his ignorance in public
domain when he said that the Distinguished Senator Bwacha does not
know if he is a constant because INEC did not include his name and that
Senator Bwacha went to Court but nothing came out of it.

It is now a well settled matter that the APC conducted a fresh primary
election in accordance with the tone and tenor of the earlier Order of the
Federal High Court, Jalingo. The same Court, on 8th March, 2023 in Suit No.
FHC/JAL/CS/8/2023 between APC vs. INEC, ordered as follows:
1. That INEC should restore or relist the name of Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha
as the candidate of APC in the forthcoming Governorship election in
Taraba State.

2. That the name of Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha shall remain on INEC’s portal
until the forthcoming Governorship election for Taraba State is
conducted since he was the winner of the fresh primary election of APC
conducted on 10/2/2023.
3. That unless there is any other Order of a Court of competent jurisdiction
to the contrary, INEC Chairman or any INEC staff or its agent cannot
remove the name of Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha from INEC’s portal before
or during the conduct of the forthcoming Governorship election for
Taraba State.

There is no doubt that the right to freedom of expression, which includes
freedom to hold opinions, to receive and impart ideas and information
without interference is constitutionally guaranteed under Section 39 of the
1999 Constitution, as amended. The media play strategic role in the society
through disseminating information to the people so as to enlighten and
make them make informed decisions.

However, the right of a person or the media to disseminate information is
not a blank cheque, but subject to making or publishing only such facts or
information that have been verified and confirmed to be true. Anything
short of this standard is libelous or defamatory and could render such
person or media outfit and/or the publisher liable in an action for
defamation.

Injurious falsehood or defaming the character or reputation of another
person, like what this person has done against Senator Bwacha, is not only
unconstitutional but a wrongful act as well as a criminal offence. We live in
a society governed by law and must respect those laws. Therefore, no
person is permitted, including the said faceless Oluwatosin Alex (faceless
because he refused or failed to provide details of his contact), to hide
under the cover of journalism to make inciting publications or level serious
allegations against another without backing such with credible evidence.
What we need in Taraba State is unity, peace and development. We
therefore call on all well-meaning Tarabans to shun any such statements
from individuals who do not wish Taraba well.