The member representing Aniocha North Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Emeka Nwaobi, has gotten his constituent arrested over alleged defamation of character.
The lawmaker had petitioned the police that one of his constituents, Mr Emeka Chianugo aka ‘Promto’ for defamation of character.
Chianugo, who was granted bail on Wednesday in Asaba, the Delta State capital, told journalists that his ordeal started after he responded to a comment made on the constituency’s WhatsApp platform.
He said, “Someone has posted on the platform that there was no vacancy in the Aniocha North constituency and that Nwaobi will not relinquish the Assembly position to anybody come sun, come rain.
“So, I responded that Nwaobi did not even win the primary that gave him the ticket in 2014 and 2018.
“Uzoma Idabor won in 2014 but was robbed, and in 2018, Bazim Biose, was leading when suddenly one Tobechukwu stormed the scene and disrupted the election in order to perfect the emergence of Nwaobi.
“I was in my house on Friday morning when police officers from the state command stormed my residence, telling me that one Emeka Nwaobi petitioned the state police commissioner that I came to his house with cultists to attack him.
“They demanded that I should follow them to the office of the Rapid Response Squad for questioning and was detained.”
PUNCH Metro gathered that the said Chianugo was detained and later bailed by Chairman Emeritus, the Nigeria Union Journalists, Delta State Council, Osita Boise.
Biose told journalists that the alleged case of libel should not be criminalised and that the onus of proof lies with the people of Aniocha North.
He however called for a civilised and democratic attitude devoid of intimidation on the part of the politicians to move the constituency forward since “we will remain brothers even after the elections in 2023.”
Efforts to reach Emeka Nwaobi failed as calls and text message put across to his phone number was not responded to as of the time of filling this report.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Delta Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the arrest of Chianugo.
He said, “He was arrested and granted bail on the same date, while the case file was sent to our legal department for advice, suspect has since jumped bail even to date.”
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