‘Stop Attacking Me. Election Is Over’....Capt Ihenacho Tells Newspaper

The former Minister of Interior and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in the last governorship election in Imo State Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho has taken a wipe on the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Nigeria Moment Newspaper Chief George Nkworji and Mr. Collins Ughalla respectively for publishing alleged libellous stories on him.

In a recent press statement by the ex-minister’s media assistant Barr. Emperor Iwuala, the former minister is said to be surprised, embarrassed and worried that after the elections were over, Chief Nkworji and Ughalla have allegedly continued to use their local tabloid to smear the image of the ex minister without any just cause or provocation.

‘…We have observed that each time there is a perceived crisis in the APGA, Chief George Nkworji and Mr. Collins Ughalla will make Capt Ihenacho a scapegoat in their newspaper banner headlines. These false, malicious and wicked publications were very prominent during the just concluded electioneering period. At that time, we ignored them as part of the usual intrigues that are prevalent during election periods in this part of the world. However, we are surprised, embarrassed and worried that after the elections are over, Nkworji and Ughalla have continued to use their local tabloid to smear the image of the ex minister without any just cause or provocation…’.

In the press release Barr. Iwuala said that after the elections ended, that his boss immediately went back to attend to his businesses only to be getting incessant reports on how Chief Nkworji and Mr. Ughalla had been allegedly using their newspaper to consistently blackmail the ex minister:

Continuing, the media cum legal practitioner also condemned what he termed abuse of use of mass medium.

‘…The irony is that it is only the said Moment Newspaper that carries these libellous publications…Mass medium is to inform, entertain and educate the public and not a personal weapon of its owners to attack innocent persons or perceived enemies…’.

While eulogizing his boss Barr Iwuala called on the owners and operators of the newspaper to desist from publishing defamatory stories on his boss. He also called on the public to disregard any negative story from the newspaper.

‘…In as much as the former minister could not pull through during the last April governorship election in Imo State, the fact still remains that majority of Imo people have continued to say that the Emekuku-born business mogul was the best candidate for that election. It has also been widely attested to my many that Capt Ihenacho is a man of high integrity and honour. His delving into politics is to help his people with his experience and skill as an astute administrator and wealth creator and not for personal gain. Therefore, we wish to use this medium to appeal to Moment Newspaper, Mr. Nkworji and his editor to desist from this criminal, ungodly and unethical act against an innocent man’, he concluded.