STOP USING YOUNG PEOPLE AS INSTRUMENTS OF SMEAR CAMPAIGN. By Dr. Nubari Nwibara

PRESS STATEMENT

STOP USING YOUNG PEOPLE AS INSTRUMENTS OF SMEAR CAMPAIGN

The Rivers South-East Situation Room, a think-tank dedicated to research and advocacy for good representation, responsible and issue-based political campaign, people-oriented policies, youth-friendly initiatives and accountability is pained to note the reckless, reprehensible, and ungodly use to which Hon. Olaka Nwogu, has deliberately chosen to apply a few misguided youths from Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

Early this month, Hon Olaka Nwogu, seemingly unsure of any record of performance in public office on which to hinge his political campaign, convened a meeting of ineffectual social media minions and Lilliputians -- all young people -- at his country home in Alesa, Eleme LGA, and recruited them to ignite a smear campaign against the character and person of the Most Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the forth-coming rerun senatorial election in Rivers South-East Senatorial District. Hon Olaka provided money and gadgets to the selected young persons to pollute public discourse about the rerun election with fabrications, concoctions, and outright falsehood to smear the image of his political opponent.

Ever since then, the young men have been gleefully spewing all manner of falsehood decked in illogic to members of the public against the Most Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, Pearl of Ogoni. We consider this development very unfortunate and disappointing. That Hon Olaka Nwogu cannot find these young people worthy of any noble and constructive engagement but to use them as agents of falsehood and smear campaign against a highly respected Ogoni man is to say the least demonic.

As a group, we had expected Hon Olaka Nwogu to provide the young men with records of his achievement in the 12 unprecedented years he spent in the Federal House of Representatives for the Eleme, Tai Oyigbo Federal Constituency as basis for canvassing for votes. Instead, our hope has been dashed with Olaka's resort to the anachronistic mud-splattering campaign of calumny we thought had been abandoned for a civilized, issues-based political campaign.

We wish to state for the records that some of the young men who took part in the clandestine smear plot meeting and were monetarily induced to attack the personality of Magnus Abe include:

1. Adubabari Mankie-Tanen
2. Ogbams Ojimah
3. John Kpoobari Diidi
4. Josef Giima
5. Sam Samuel
6. Datubo Pepple
7. Giobari Naabie
8. Eenyie Sira
9. Ndeelo Jude
10. Baritoesae Bonalo
11. Sorbari Ikue
12. Sorbari Turakpe
13. Anson Erebari
14. Akanto Osogbo
15. Ziganubari Prosbi among others.

We wish to counsel these young men that instead of allowing politicians who have added no value to our people to use them to smear our very best, they should think of constructive avenues to help themselves and contribute to the growth of the society rather than allow desperate people to use them as instruments of mudslinging on the impeccable character of those who have distinguished themselves in the society.

Finally, we appeal to politicians to avoid perverse and foul language, smear campaign, character assassination as they go about campaign for election. We appeal that people seeking elective positions should present their scorecards to the electorate so that they can be assessed based on what they have done in the past with the public opportunity they enjoyed.

Both Hon Olaka Nwogu and the Most Distinguished Senator Magnus Abe had held representative positions in the past. Olaka NWOGU spent 12 years in the House of Representatives from 1999-2011. Magnus Abe himself spent 4 years in the Senate from 2011-2015. Those making advocacy for these candidates should show their record of performance in their previous assignment instead polluting political discourse with smear campaign.


Singed:
Dr. Nubari Nwibara
DIrector of Research,
Rivers South-East Situation Room
31/1/2016