Stop Smear Campaign Against UNIJOS VC, CLO Warns

Director of the North Central Zone of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Steve Aluko, has cautioned against smear campaign against the vice chancellor of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Professor Tanko Ishaya, on social media over the just-concluded general election.

Aluko reiterated that the Nigerian constitution upholds the freedom of speech and protests, but peddling rumours on social media was not only unacceptable, but that “it is a cybercrime that is punishable under the law.”

Tanko served in Nasarawa State as the state returning officer in both the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections as well as the March 18 gubernatorial and state assembly elections.

But after the results of the March 18 elections were announced, there have been several allegations against him including alleged compromise in social media.

Aluko who spoke to newsmen in Jos the Plateau State capital at the weekend warned those spreading such smear campaigns without any evidence to desist, saying that such could be tantamount to defamation of character and liable to lawsuit.

He also argued that the VC has the right to sue wherever he feels he is wrongly accused.

The CLO zonal director also said voters and aggrieved persons in the just concluded elections have the right to protest against any perceived injustice and to seek redress in court, but that smear campaign against anyone without evidence should be checked to avoid unnecessary tensions.

He called on anyone who is aggrieved in the whole process to seek proper and acceptable way to ventilate their grievances, stressing that care should be taken not to run afoul of the law in the process of self expression or unconfirmed information.