Posted by The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State has asked its members and supporters to adopt the concept of no response in the face of the media frenzy and analysis by Governor Abdullahi Sule and his party, the APC.
The State PDP Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Hamza, made this clear in a statement.
Concerned about how Governor Sule and the APC in Nasarawa State have responded to the tribunal’s ruling, Hamza has accused the party of staging “media trials” via TV ads, media appearances, press conferences, social media posts, and press releases in which members discuss and analyze the judgment and its implications.
It further said that the APC has shown “subjudicial tendencies” by refusing to stop using the media as a forum for debating cases that are still before the courts.
The PDP stressed the importance of civility and responsibility in public discourse, as well as the necessity to uphold the values of equity and lawfulness.
The PDP and APC party chairmen were reportedly counseled by the State Director of the State Security Service (SSS) to discourage their followers from using insulting language and personal attacks in public speeches.
The PDP says it has made steps to keep its supporters and members’ expressions moderated in accordance with the advise, so as to keep a polite tone and to prevent scorching the political environment in the state.
But the PDP says Governor Sule and the APC haven’t taken this tack and instead have been insulting them and their supporters.
In addition, the statement claimed that the parties had “discussed matters pending before the courts on various media platforms,” which could cast doubt on the fairness of the judicial proceedings.
AA Sule, the departing governor of Nasarawa State, and his handlers have been spreading false information about the tribunal’s verdict in the state’s gubernatorial election in an effort to sway public opinion in his favor before filing an appeal.
We’ve also seen the Nasarawa State APC and some of AA Sule’s political appointees ramping up their national television appearances with bought airtime, press conferences, social media posts, and press releases in an apparent effort to extrapolate the judgment’s findings and apply them to their own ends.
Let us remind them that the State Director of the SSS recently met with the two party chairmen (PDP/APC) and asked them to discourage their followers from using profanity and insults. Since then, the PDP has been trying to keep the temperature down in the state and in the politics by limiting the remarks and retorts of its members and supporters.
While the PDP listened to the DSS’s warnings, the newly formed opposition party, the APC, led by Engr. Sule and his henchmen, has resorted to name-calling and personal attacks rather than presenting rational arguments. So far, they haven’t learned their lesson about not talking about cases that are still before the courts, and instead have opted to air their grievances in the media. Their new strategy now includes insults as part of the deal.
The function of the courts in resolving legal issues and ensuring that justice is done is essential in a democratic society. The rules and procedures of the legal system must be followed when a case is pending in order to ensure the fairness of the proceedings and the protection of the rights of all parties.Is it necessary to tell them that this tactic, intended to intimidate and cow the courts, violates the values of justice and peace?