The former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the National Technical Adviser of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Prince Uche Secondus has described as a needless distraction the continuous attack on the Publisher and Owner of THISDAY Newspapers and Arise Television station, Prince Nduka Obaigbena by the Media team of the All Progressives Congress, APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmad TINUBU.
Prince Secondus said he has followed the issues behind the on-going media war of words and wondered why the APC Presidential media team chose to leave the business of marketing their Principal for which they were appointed and be chasing Prince Obaigbena who is indisputably an iroko in the media industry.
Rather than joining issues with the indefatigable media mogul like Prince Obaigbena, the APC team should have used the time and energy to position their candidate positively in the eyes of the public.
‘Unless they are surrendering to the town talks that they have nothing to sell in the current political space and has chosen to cause unnecessary distractions.
Prince Secondus noted that given the persisting tireless role of Nigeria media in the Socio-political development of this country from independence in 1960 and continued in the June 12 democratic struggle that birthed this republic, one expects the media to get involved in some more pragmatic matters not on undesirable squabbles.
‘From whatever perspective you want to look at it, Arise TV and THISADAY Newspapers have not gone outside the dictates of their profession in asking a Presidential candidate of a ruling party to present himself for public scrutiny.
‘It’s indeed an aberration that a person aspiring to rule over 200 million people are dodging from talking to them or answering their questions even from his own media establishment.
The former PDP boss urges APC media not to cover up if their candidate is seriously challenged in anyway to face public interrogation because that is what is required to avoid the deceit and propaganda of 2015 that brought the country where we are today.
“The health of your candidate should worry you because it would be unpatriotic to foist on the country unhealthy person for a position that requires complete mental and physical alertness.
Prince Obaigbena and his media group were acting within the law to demand that APC candidate present himself for questioning either in a debate or Town Hall gathering. It mustn’t be Arise Tv, it can be any other medium but a person seeking public office must face interrogation.
Even as a politician who has played much at national level, I know too well that no one can dismiss the critical role of Prince Obaigbena in the development of media as a catalyst to developments.
The impact of Prince Obaigbena in the development of the media in this country and beyond cannot be over emphasized and I doubt very strongly if the bitterness of APC on him will be able to diminish his towering status in the industry.
I therefore wish to counsel the APC media to concentrate their energy and resources in pushing their candidate and his qualities if any to the public instead of dissipating energy and resources on a man whose contributions to the growth of the sector is glaring and outstanding.
Prince Secondus also warned against persons gifted with power, money and influence playing God with it in disregard to their source.
Finally, Prince Secondus said that if APC team continues in this unnecessary attacks and distraction to the on going national campaigns, not a few Nigerians will come to the inescapable conclusion that they have nothing to show in the political space and have instead chosen to disrupt, distract and cause confusion.
