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[UPDATE] Protest: Plateau NBA cautions those denigrating UniJos VC
The Plateau State Chapter Chairman of the NBA, Mr. Yakubu Bawa, who expressed dismay at the development said that “it is unfortunate that people are smearing such a morally upright person as Professor Tanko with such an allegation.”
Jos – The Plateau State Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA has defended the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, over the allegation that he was influenced to announce a wrong result in the just concluded governorship election in Nasarawa State.
The VC served in Nasarawa as the State Returning Officer in both the February 25 Presidential/National Assembly elections as well as the March 18 Gubernatorial/State Assembly Elections.
After he announced the outcome of the governorship election, some groups protested against the declaration of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Sule who is the incumbent governor as the winner of the election.
The Returning Officer was dragged on several social media platforms, as associates defend him against the social media attacks.
The Plateau State Chapter Chairman of the NBA, Mr. Yakubu Bawa, who expressed dismay at the development said that “it is unfortunate that people are smearing such a morally upright person as Professor Tanko with such an allegation.”
Bawa who spoke in Jos noted, “Posting of any unsubstantiated information on social media is an infraction of violation of the law because it falls within the purview of cybercrime, information act and so on. So what the people are doing is wrong because there is a rule of engagement in any social media and online post, and unless and until one has compelling evidence against someone, such person ought not to post any defamatory material about the person because you are smearing such a person’s image.”
He urged all those peddling rumours without proof to “desist as it is a grave offense,” adding that “those also circulating such on social media should desist because it is a cyber crime under the law,” and called on “all aggrieved persons to go to the election tribunal where they can tender any evidence of alleged infraction, rather than spreading rumours or information without any proof whatsoever.”
