Austin Tam George: Another Pastor Jerry Needam In The Making?
The Patriots Alliance (TPA), condemns in all entirety the renewed display of acoustic assaults against some notable citizens of Nigeria. While it is not in our character to join issues with desperate politicians and unscrupulous power mongers, yet, we have reasoned that our silence now, can amount to an endorsement of wild scale incivility.
The current brouhaha over the so called dinner party hosted by the Rivers State Government, for Professor Wole Soyinka, is not only comical, but also smirks of illiteracy. By now, one would have expected those screaming on top of their voices to approach any court of competent jurisdiction with hardcore evidence to initiate the process of prosecution, thereby availing the public the opportunity to ascertain the true picture of events.
But, alas, that is not about to happen! Some people still think that we still live in the stone age; where an accused person is sent to the gallows without fair hearing. We dare say that without facts, prosecution, and sentencing, name-calling is baseless.
The fabricated hue and cry by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Austin Tam George over an undisclosed amount of money which he claims was borrowed by the MD (acting), NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, during her tenure as Commissioner for Information and Communication, is highly ludicrous. This reminds us of several hellish and dubious propaganda doled out by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through Pastor Jerry Needam, in the past.
We cannot forget so soon how the PDP issued an official statement in affirmation and propagation of a fictitious interview by Christiane Amanpour of Cable News Network (CNN), where she purportedly linked the former Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to a certain foreign account loaded with billions of dollars. Not a few patriotic Nigerians bugged Amanpour to ascertain the veracity of the allegations against Amaechi, until she finally reacted. In her words: "We have not done any recent story on Nigeria, except that of President Muhammadu Buhari, when he visited the States."
We cannot also forget the barrage of allegations against Amaechi, during the early days of Governor Nyesom Wike in office. What happened to the illusive story of stolen spoons, chairs, doors, cars, etc, as presented by Wike? Why has the Rivers State Government not prosecuted anybody in connection with the wild goose allegations till date? Or is this administration more interested in cooked up media trials of political opponents?
As Patriots, we advice Austin Tam George to desist from rubbishing the hard earned reputation of Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, Proffesor Wole Soyinka, and other notable sons and daughters of Rivers State, and Nigeria at large, or face an unrestrained legal action. Rather than this new media craze, we challenge George and his paymaster to approach the court of law in order to dispense the matter once and for all. As far as we are concerned, the days of lies and deceits are long gone for good.
Solomon Okocha
For: The Patriots Alliance
[email protected]
January 10, 2016