A loquacious and audaciously reckless campaigner for the People’s Democratic Party in Edo State, Rev. Olu Martins, has been advised to brace himself for legal proceedings instead of resorting to baseless accusations against the Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Rt. Hon. Denis Idahosa.
In a statement endorsed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Senator Monday Okpebholo campaign organisation, Mr. John Mayaki, said, “The right to free speech, enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), is subject to limitations, particularly regarding communications constituting defamation, a tortuous civil wrong that may also constitute a crime.
“Martins’ feeble attempt to depict the astute legislator as “intolerant” after his defamatory publication is rebuked as futile. He must understand that the exercise of his freedom of speech must be within legal boundaries and not impinge upon the rights of others.
“To insinuate intolerance on the part of the APC and its deputy governorship candidate through baseless accusations is the pinnacle of blackmail, indicative of the guilty conscience and verbosity of Reverend Olu Martins,” Mayaki asserts.
“Martins should heed counsel and prepare for the inevitable libel and defamation charges against him – he is not impervious to legal consequences.”
“Also, it is imperative to underscore the significance of upholding legal standards and ethical conduct in political discourse. As custodians of public trust, political actors must exercise prudence in their words and actions, knowing the potential repercussions of defamation and slander. The sanctity of democratic processes hinges upon the integrity of participants, and any deviation from ethical norms undermines our democratic fabric.
“And so, amidst political exchanges, it is essential to elevate the conversation beyond mere mudslinging and character assassination because genuine progress and development can only be achieved through constructive dialogue, focused on substantive issues and policy proposals.
“Therefore, this should be seen as a reminder to the public that all aspects of this election season, whether on social media or conventional platforms, will be scrutinized. We in the APC prioritize issue-based campaigns over the reckless rhetoric employed by the PDP,” Mayaki said.
