By: Felix Ikpotor
The Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Magnus Ngei Abe has slammed Channels Television for misrepresenting events concerning the meeting of his faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers state held on Sunday.
Abe, in a letter personally signed by him and addressed to the CEO of Channels Television, John Momoh, said the stakeholders’ meeting of his faction of APC held over the weekend in Port Harcourt was reported as an event, “Congratulating Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on his election victory.”
The lawmaker stated that the report was false and a misrepresentation of the aim of the meeting.
Abe in the letter, said those behind the report are working for the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, adding that the report is a deliberate act to cause disaffection between him (Abe) and the national leadership of the APC.
He called on the Channels TV CEO to correct the report, tender an apology and fish out the saboteurs behind the report.
While describing the report as an embarrassment, Abe further regretted that the station allowed itself to be used by his political enemies for such purpose.
Below is a copy of the letter:
Prince John Momoh
Chairman / CEO Channels Television
My dear Brother,
RE: CHANNELS REPORT ON THE RIVERS APC STAKEHOLDERS MEETING
Compliments and fraternal greetings of this Easter Season. I hope my note meets you well.
You may have seen my frantic calls, however since the matter I wanted to discuss with you is of equal importance to the public I have decided to pass it to you through the public medium.
We held a meeting of APC Stakeholders in Rivers state where we amongst other things briefed members on the outcome of the Supreme Court Judgement, called for unity and inclusion in the party, and charted a way forward for the party.
Channels TV whose reporter was physically present at the meeting from the beginning to the end, reported to the world that we gathered to celebrate Wike’s victory.
I have since been receiving calls from all over the world from people expressing their shock and surprise.
That report was not only false it was politically fabricated. Channels has a right to decide which story to carry, but you have no right to decide whose story you carry. The event must be allowed to tell the story.
To forcefully present to the world that the meeting we held was in anyway or form associated with Governor Wike may be a story sponsored by those working for the opposition to create disaffection between the national leadership of the APC and the state, or worse still sponsored by the internal opposition within the Rivers State APC led by the Minister of Transportation that are the original purveyors of the story that we were somehow connected to Governor Wike.
Either way Channels TV has deliberately acted to poison the minds of Nigerians and withheld the truth from them.
It could not have been a mistake because your reporter was physically present at the meeting. Channels would have done better not to carry the story, than to carry a story about us that is definitely not our story.
The meeting was held precisely because the Supreme Court of Nigeria had by its position vindicated our struggle and have shown to Nigerians that our movement was powered by nothing other than the quest for justice and fair play within the APC, but your report did nothing to celebrate that, rather you joined our political traducers to tar us with a poisoned brush. It was not just mischief, it was a wicked mischief. It is unacceptable.
May I respectfully request that you investigate the source of your story and make public the name of the source of your story, or the originator if you are prepared to stand by the story. Where you are unable to stand by your story, please tender an unreserved and public apology to me and all APC stakeholders who attended the meeting.
Secondly, publish the meeting on your medium from the beginning to the end let Nigerians see for themselves if your story in any way relates to the reality of what transpired at the meeting.
It is unfortunate that people choose to use Channels Television, a brand that Nigerians have come to associate with integrity and truth in broadcasting as a medium to destroy perceived political opponents and sponsor mischief.
Please act quickly to save both Channels and ourselves from further needless embarrassment.
I sincerely look forward to hearing from you ASAP.
Thank you and God bless you.
Magnus Ngei Abe
