DELTA NORTH SENATORIAL DECLARATION: THE CALUMNIES, BLACKMAILS AND PROPAGANDA AGAINST OKOWA ARE COWARDLY – STANLEY MBULU – SIXT-MEDIA LANE
By: STANLEY MBULU
Esq, FICRPC
The sound made by chickens whenever they sense the hovering of a hawk is out of fear and not out of bravery.
This perfectly describes the current humming and fumming from the rival political camps of Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, in reaction to his recent declaration of interest to contest as Senator, representing Delta North Senatorial District at the Red Chamber, come 2027.
First and foremost, it is imperative to note that the only thing you can never do to an Ika man is to intimidate or blackmail him with any subject or situation.
An average Ika man understands intimidation and propaganda and once he notices that it is being used against him, he will do anything possible to resist the distraction and insist on the destination.
The immediate past Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa is a typical Ika man that possesses every trait and characteristics of the Ikas.
Recently, he declared his intention to once again be on the ballot box to bail out his ambition of returning to the National Assembly as a Senator and continue his unfinished legislative business for the good people of Delta North Senatorial District.
This development, although foreseen, forecasted and foretold were to be forestalled by wishful thinkers who are scared of his unprecedented and undented political strength and strategy, which are notable for hitting the bull’s eye anytime he takes a political shot.
There were eruptions of propaganda and explosions of calumny every where in the media space that as at this moment, the malicious, slanderous and libellous dust of the unfounded and unwarranted allegations are yet to settle.
Immediately, after the announcement of his intention to run, the social media rats of Okowa’s political opponents unleashed their tiny hungry teeth on every material that has his name on it in an attempt to destroy his political image to the level of publishing articles that are capable of indicting them in the circle of liabilities for libelous offences and cyber stalking.
Some of them abandoned the business of telling the people of Delta North Senatorial District why their principal should be re-elected and focused on throwing tantrums at Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
This act of putting together some materials of unwoven and unproven allegations that have not been defined, decided or declared by any court against a personality that doubles as a one-time Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former Governor of Delta State, is an unfortunate dance with nemesis that is taken too far in recklessness and wickedness.
As it stands, even before the rules of law, principles and practices, Okowa’s only offence is perhaps, his political consistency and efficiency, wherein the scenario appears to look like he has dominated every political space in recent times, bearing in mind that he has never prevented anyone from participating or contesting.
With every sense of sincerity, this political style of defaming and character-assassinating political rivals prior to elections is very wrong.
Political campaigns are supposed to be logical and issue-based, just as practiced in other climes that are democratically mentoring us.
These days, our political landscape is rife with the weaponization of media platforms and opinion domains that know no other business than shooting at political opponents at will.
Shamefully, objectivity has been supplanted by ‘missilic’ utterances and verbal arrows that are aimed at discrediting and destabilizing opponents, even without the consciousness of the consequences.
When politicians run short of ideas and their agendas are no longer popular and tenable, they resort to defamatory ways of settling political scores that are targeted at their main opponents through their media attack-dogs.
The advancement of calumnious and careless political publications on opponents is not only repulsive and retrogressive, but also childish and criminal.
The usage of blackmail, insults, verbal attacks, and calumny in political campaigns is widely regarded as desperate, unethical, and cowardly.
This tactic is often employed when the candidate launching such offensives lacks substantive achievements or a compelling vision to carry on.
Such strategies are strongly perceived as a sign of political weakness and insecurity, which indicates that the candidate is already aware of his or her opponent’s political superiority in the context and is kicking helplessly and aimlessly like a weakling that is being beaten mercilessly and held to the ground by a very strong opponent.
Moreso, when electoral candidates resort to mudslinging in order to divert attention from their own lack of performance or weak agenda, it makes the game boring and monotonous.
Using verbal attacks, including blackmail or propaganda is viewed as a ‘weak’ way to winning votes, which often backfires by revealing the attacker’s desperation in the end.
Rather than engaging in genuine debates and expressions, the whole stage will metamorphose into ‘market-square drama’ and ‘amateurish blackmail’ to enable one party misrepresent his or her opponents.
These actions diminish the quality of political discourse and turn serious democratic contests into ‘politics without decorum’.
Such practices violate electoral guidelines which are aimed at ensuring that campaigns remain focused on issues rather than personal attacks, as highlighted by Section 92 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Verbal insults and calumny often set the stage for physical threats, intimidations, and the use of thugs, making elections dangerous and reducing voters participation.
In many contexts, these methods are seen as a form of ‘staged harassment’ that cannot ultimately stop a shift in political favour, and it often leads to a ‘decisive defeat’ of the perpetrator.
Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, as far as the law is concerned is eligible to vote and be voted for, just like any other eligible Delta Northerner;
What then, are the reasons for these grumbling and groaning immediately after his humble declaration of intention to exercise his political right once more?
Section 65 and Section 106 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) outline the qualifications for election to the legislative arms of government. These sections define who is eligible to contest, vis-a-vis the focus on citizenship, age, educational background, and party sponsorship.
Likewise, Sections 77(2) and 117(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended ) provide that the right to vote and be voted for is a fundamental right.
The right to political participation is like an inheritance that facilitates the enjoyment of other human rights.
This right encompasses the right to vote and the right to be elected, among other provisions.
It is also well-established in international human rights law and operative at both regional and national levels.
Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), guarantees to all citizens the right and the opportunity, without unreasonable restrictions, to:
☑️Take part in the conduct of public affairs directly or through freely chosen representatives;
☑️To vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections; and
☑️To have equal access to public service.
Every individual has the right to participate in politics and all other related activities.
Furthermore, the right to political participation is also protected by the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act in Article 13.
Also Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee and recognize the participation of people in the government of their countries, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
Generally, the law has a sacred duty with regards to individual’s right to political participation.
This duty bothers on respect, promotion, protection and fulfilment of human rights;
A duty to ensure that people are restricted from interfering with people’s right to political participation, including that of protecting all persons and groups in Nigeria from any intimidation or harassment to reduce their political participations.
Therefore, before any ‘eye-service’ media machinery or mercenary to any politician in Delta North Senatorial District becomes too overzealous to dance with fire and land himself or herself in trouble because of a principal that may eventually abandon him or her while going through the resultant ordeal, it will be wise for such person to initiate such folly by beginning with providing unbiased answers to these questions;
▪️ Is Okowa not an Indigene of Delta North?
▪️Is Okowa not qualified to contest for senatorial elections in Nigeria?
▪️Has any court within or outside Nigeria found Okowa guilty of any offence, criminal or otherwise?
▪️Is Okowa stopping anyone else from being on the ballot box on the day of election?
Meanwhile, Okowa is not a supernatural candidate that can not be defeated in any political context.
Why don’t these ‘nay sayers’ work very hard to engage him at the polls and disengage him from the throne if they have confidence in their capacities and quit this reproachful weeping and whimpering, like a juvenile that has received some painful strokes of cane from his father as a result of his persistent delinquencies.
Why are they all disorganised, discomforted, disconnected, disconcerted, disturbed and distracted?
Why are they buzzing everywhere like bees that were interrupted while fellowshipping in their comb, simply because Okowa has decided to contest for Delta North Senatorial Seat?
As far as I am concerned, this is very strange and suspicious.
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