Zanele Sifuba: CSO calls on FG to arrest those behind smear campaign against Bayelsa governor

A civil society organization, Advocacy for Advancement of Peace & Harmony in Africa Initiative (ADAPHAI) has called on the Federal Government, through the office of Inspector General of Police and other federal security agencies, to quickly apprehend those behind the fake news against Governor Douye Diri, of Bayelsa State, concerning the alleged nude video leak of a South African legislator.

It argued that the notion behind the propaganda is not only a deliberate attack on the personality of the governor and the good people of Bayelsa, but also portrays the Nigeria’s ruling class in bad light and denigrates the Nigerian nation as a corporate entity.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the National Coordinator of the organization, Comrade Sulaimon Suberu, and made available to newsmen.

Suberu insisted that the brain behind the fake Facebook account where the story emanated and its sponsors must quickly be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others with such wicked and unpatriotic tendencies, saying if such dangerous lies could be said against a decent and focused governor like Douye Diri, every other political leader is greatly vulnerable.

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According to him, security agencies must be proactively monitor social media content during this political season to prevent unscrupulous elements from heating up the polity and cause serious crisis as 2023 elections draw near.

The CSO, however, implored the Bayelsa State governor not to be discouraged and distracted by such shenanigans from enemies of development and good governance but to be focused and never look back in his decisive move to build a new Bayelsa.

The statement read in part: “As a reputable organization with mandate to propagate peaceful co-existence and non-violent culture in Africa, we considered as shocking and bizarre, the fake news concocted to smear the personality of Governor of Bayelsa State and distract him from his developmental drive in the state.

“This is not only a dangerous trend in our polity as we approach the general elections in 2023, it also denigrates our nation and it’s leadership; hence, the urgent need to get those involved arrested and bring them to book as a way of nipping such unpatriotic move in the bud in the nearest future

“It is instructive for political players to play politics according to the rule of engagement and be decent. The institution must rise above divisive tendencies of this type.

“It is quite inconceivable and unimaginable that any individual could link a decent and clearheaded leader like Douye Diri of Bayelsa State with this type of obscene act of high criminality.

“It is indeed very unfortunate that Governor Douye Diri is a victim of murky and lopsided political environment, where people tend to reward good deeds with evils and go to any length to retard purposeful leadership.

“We, therefore, enjoin the governor to take this unfortunate incident in his strides and move on with his developmental drive and inclusive governance in Bayelsa.

“Meanwhile, the governor must not spare any individual spreading such satanic and fake news anywhere in the state and beyond, he must as a matter of exigency take legal action against such persons or groups.”