Alleged defamation: Free Tinubu media coordinator Keyamo told Diri
All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson Festus Keyamo has demanded the immediate release of Bayelsa State Media Coordinator Ebikpoemi Ugo from state police custody.< /p>
It was then that he hit Governor Douye Diri for allegedly being intolerant of opposition criticism and for his unnecessary show of force in using state security agents.
Keyamo made the call in a statement released Friday in Abuja.
Ugo, who is also Publicity Secretary of Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, was reportedly arrested by Bayelsa State Police Command on October 18 following of a request from the governor.
In the petition, Diri accused Ugo of making two unsubstantiated claims via his Facebook posts.
The first social media post, which the governor said was aimed at him, read, "What about the 150 million naira from the federal government sent to the state?" while the second said "Shameful broadcast and you still have the mind to beg Muhammadu Buhari for more money when the one he brought was pocketed."
As a result, Ugo was arrested by security officers and held for several days before being arraigned for “defamation of character” and “conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace”.
The APC council spokesman was later remanded in custody, where he is believed to be in dire conditions.
Reacting to his work, Keyamo punched the state governor who he said was using state police to attack the opposition.
His statement reads: "We are extremely disturbed by the actions of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State regarding the arrest, indictment and pre-trial detention of Mr. Ebikpoemi Ugo.
“By the way, this gentleman is also the coordinator of Tinubu Media Center, Bayelsa State.
“To say that we are shocked by Governor Diri's conduct and complaint is an understatement. Here is an opposition governor who is at the forefront of the call for state policing who is already misusing the police to oppress an unhappy, harmless citizen by simply asking valid questions (even without mentioning the name of the governor).
“These are the same opposition leaders who cry blue murder at the slightest provocation whether the act had been that of a CPA governor or the federal government. These are the same opposition governors who are begging Nigerians to re-elect them because they would have turned over a new leaf. Alas! The leopard cannot change places."
The Minister of State for Labor said it was common knowledge that despite the deluge of misinformation and abuse against the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Retired), daily on social media, he has not succumbed to the use of security agencies to suppress the opposition for "simple defamatory messages" on social networks.
Keyamo revealed that the president instead went further by even bestowing national honors on people, including his critics.
According to him, if APC governors retaliate in their various states by cracking down on opposition party officials, it will lead to an open invitation to chaos across the country.
He therefore called on Diri to order the Bayelsa Police Command and the State Attorney General to effect the immediate and unconditional release of the suspect.
“That Governor Diri of Bayelsa State immediately withdraw his complaint to the police, who in turn immediately drop the charges, halt the trial of Mr. Ugo and release him. He can also choose to immediately ask the Bayelsa State Attorney General to take the case back to the police and initiate a nolle prosecui (halt trial).
"The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, may also immediately direct the Bayelsa State Police Command to immediately drop the charges against Mr. Ugo and release him.
“Anything that falls short of any of these options above will be oppressive, barbaric and undemocratic and would therefore be unacceptable to us and we will fully respond in a legal and legitimate manner. One word is enough for the wise,” he said.
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All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson Festus Keyamo has demanded the immediate release of Bayelsa State Media Coordinator Ebikpoemi Ugo from state police custody.< /p>
It was then that he hit Governor Douye Diri for allegedly being intolerant of opposition criticism and for his unnecessary show of force in using state security agents.
Keyamo made the call in a statement released Friday in Abuja.
Ugo, who is also Publicity Secretary of Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, was reportedly arrested by Bayelsa State Police Command on October 18 following of a request from the governor.
In the petition, Diri accused Ugo of making two unsubstantiated claims via his Facebook posts.
The first social media post, which the governor said was aimed at him, read, "What about the 150 million naira from the federal government sent to the state?" while the second said "Shameful broadcast and you still have the mind to beg Muhammadu Buhari for more money when the one he brought was pocketed."
As a result, Ugo was arrested by security officers and held for several days before being arraigned for “defamation of character” and “conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace”.
The APC council spokesman was later remanded in custody, where he is believed to be in dire conditions.
Reacting to his work, Keyamo punched the state governor who he said was using state police to attack the opposition.
His statement reads: "We are extremely disturbed by the actions of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State regarding the arrest, indictment and pre-trial detention of Mr. Ebikpoemi Ugo.
“By the way, this gentleman is also the coordinator of Tinubu Media Center, Bayelsa State.
“To say that we are shocked by Governor Diri's conduct and complaint is an understatement. Here is an opposition governor who is at the forefront of the call for state policing who is already misusing the police to oppress an unhappy, harmless citizen by simply asking valid questions (even without mentioning the name of the governor).
“These are the same opposition leaders who cry blue murder at the slightest provocation whether the act had been that of a CPA governor or the federal government. These are the same opposition governors who are begging Nigerians to re-elect them because they would have turned over a new leaf. Alas! The leopard cannot change places."
The Minister of State for Labor said it was common knowledge that despite the deluge of misinformation and abuse against the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Retired), daily on social media, he has not succumbed to the use of security agencies to suppress the opposition for "simple defamatory messages" on social networks.
Keyamo revealed that the president instead went further by even bestowing national honors on people, including his critics.
According to him, if APC governors retaliate in their various states by cracking down on opposition party officials, it will lead to an open invitation to chaos across the country.
He therefore called on Diri to order the Bayelsa Police Command and the State Attorney General to effect the immediate and unconditional release of the suspect.
“That Governor Diri of Bayelsa State immediately withdraw his complaint to the police, who in turn immediately drop the charges, halt the trial of Mr. Ugo and release him. He can also choose to immediately ask the Bayelsa State Attorney General to take the case back to the police and initiate a nolle prosecui (halt trial).
"The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, may also immediately direct the Bayelsa State Police Command to immediately drop the charges against Mr. Ugo and release him.
“Anything that falls short of any of these options above will be oppressive, barbaric and undemocratic and would therefore be unacceptable to us and we will fully respond in a legal and legitimate manner. One word is enough for the wise,” he said.
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