NWAOGWUGWU:
BY SUMMIT POST


By Collins Ughalaa

We would like to start this outing with a story of the hen and the hawk. On a certain sunny day, the hen took her hatchlings out in the field to feed them. The hatchlings scampered for food, cheeping. Out of nowhere the hawk made a quick dive and picked one of the hatchlings. The innocent hatchling cried for help but the hawk did not yield. Angry, the hen gave a hot chase but the hawk had gone into the air. The bird owner threw up her hands and cursed the hawk. Another woman came up and upbraided her, saying: “While you curse the hawk for picking the chick, you should as well blame the hen for exposing her hatchlings to danger”.



On Thursday, May 28, 2020, Mr. Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, the Director General of the New Media Directorate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State broke the news on his Facebook Wall that he was invited by the Department of State Security (DSS) in the state. He has not returned from that journey. As a politician Nwaogugwu’s detention by the DSS has expectedly dominated the discourse. Characteristic of political issues, his detention has been painted in different colours, including claims of clampdown on the opposition and the press in Imo State.

While reasons for Nwaogwugwu’s detention were still hazy, the national leadership of the PDP asked for his immediate and unconditional release. In a press release by Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the PDP described Nwaogwugwu’s detention as “the current clampdown and brutalization of opposition members in Imo state by the Uzodimma-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration”, adding that “Since Governor Uzodimma emerged governor through the Supreme Court, his government has been employing every method, including intimidation, in the bid to silence dissenting voices”.

For their part, the National Assembly PDP Caucus, in a press release signed by Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Hon Bede Eke, Hon Henry Nwawuba, Hon. Ikenna Elezieanya and Hon. Emeka Chinedu, said: “We view the arrest and continued detention of Mr. Nwaogwugwu as an attempt to emasculate, intimidate and decimate members of the opposition PDP….The use of security agencies to terrorize those who hold contrary views is to say the least draconian, reprehensive and a reminder of the dark days of our political history. It is our view that this clampdown on political opponents is an affront to democratic tenets and the rule of law and must not be allowed to continue”.

Throwing light on Nwaogwugwu’s detention, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. COC Akaolisa, disclosed that “Ambrose Nwaogwugwu is being lawfully detained by an order of court obtained by the DSS. He is not under unlawful detention.” The Attorney General would later add that “Nwaogwugwu is being detained for cyber terrorism against the Imo State Government”. To further clarify maters, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba, in a press release on Saturday said that Nwaogwugwu was not arrested for calling the Governor the Supreme Court Governor as alleged by the PDP. He said that “Nwaogwugwu and two others, now at large, were the masterminds of seditious fabrications against the state government”. He added that “Nwaogwugwu and company fabricated and caused to be published in the social media false, seditious materials claiming, among other things, that the government had created three Emirates in the state and installed three Emirs, that the government planned to rename Imo State University after the late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba kyari, and lately that the government had approved 15 Almajiri Schools for the state”.

As journalists, we crave a free press. As politically exposed persons also, we crave a free opposition. But while we crave a free press and opposition, we above all crave responsible press and opposition. A reckless press and opposition is inimical to the ideals of democracy and the development of the state. The rule of law provides that the law should apply to everyone and in all situations. Taken together, we suppose that the law should apply both to the opposition and the government. While the opposition checkmates the government it does not have the license to be reckless. A responsible opposition must adhere to the dictates of the laws of the land and encourage others to do so, as a reckless opposition may as well produce a reckless government.

The detained DG of the New Media Directorate of the PDP is a Politician and Engineer, not a journalist. No journalist in the state has been arrested or detained by any law enforcement agent in the state. It is preposterous, therefore, to posit that the detention of Nwaogwgwu amounts to a clampdown on free press. On the other hand, the opposition in the state is not under any form of clampdown. The PDP is not the only opposition political party in the state. The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), the Action Alliance (AA), Accord, SDP, and a host of others, are jointly the opposition in the state. These parties and their members function unhindered.

Some people have also played the religious and moral card on this matter, asking those without a sin to be the first to throw the stone. They are not entirely wrong. Some politically exposed journalists or social media influencers have at a point in the past written or published defamatory materials against private citizens, political leaders or the state government. Some have paid a heavy price. Some had a close shave. Yet, many of these people have learnt to be within the limits in their future engagements, knowing that they may not have another close shave with death, as it were. From their experience they warn others to be wary. It is not sufficient, therefore, to argue that because certain persons stole in the past, others should be allowed to steal now. Similarly, it is not correct to argue that someone who had learnt from his mistakes should not forewarn others.

We want to also disagree with those who cite examples of former governors, senators, etc, who were maligned in the past but did not arrest the maligners or press charges against them in court. The Publisher of the Community Watchdog newspaper, Comrade Precious Nwadike, had a celebrated case with Hon. Uche Nwosu over the former’s publications concerning the alleged missing bailout funds. Hon. Henry Ekpe, co-publisher of the Trumpeta newspaper, is alive to tell his ordeals as aftermath of his criticism of the Okorocha administration. In 2011, Nigeria Horn newspaper was attacked following a publication concerning the Ogboni fraternity, which the government considered offensive. Comrade Samuelson Iwuoha has not forgotten his ordeals in the hands of the late Senator Benjamin Uwajomogu. On the other hand, most political leaders who did not successfully address the unnecessary mudslinging on their person have fared badly in their political careers.

We understand the PDP has gone to court on this matter against the DSS. This makes the matter more interesting as no one would play hide and seek before the court. We, therefore, refrain from passing hasty judgement on Nwaogwugwu, or shouting crucify him!. However, we admonish that the PDP and all lovers of Nwaogwugwu will have to change tactic. We think that a political solution, rather than legal, is better. In the end, we hope that justice will be served.

Source:
https://summitpostnews.com/2020/06/01/nwaogwugwu-between-cyber-terrorism-and-clampdown-on-political-opponents/