By: Isaac Shobayo – Jos
The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Plateau State chapter, Yakubu Bawa, has condemned the allegation of compromise against the University of Jos Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, who was the Returning Officer for Nasarawa State in the just concluded elections.
Plateau NBA chairman said Tanko, who 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 is a man of pedigree and integrity who has been contributing his quota to the development of Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen, Barrister Bawa said the allegation of compromise against the Vice Chancellor in the social media was unsubstantiated and should be dismissed.
“Posting of any unsubstantiated information in the social media is an infraction of violation of law because it falls within the purview of cyber crime, information act and so on.
“So what the people are doing is wrong because is wrong because there is a rule of engagement in any social media and online post, and unless and until one has a compelling evidence against someone, such person ought not post any defamatory material about the person because you are smearing such person’s image,” he said.
Bawa said they, in the law profession and other professional bodies know Prof Tanko so well and can say that he is a man of uncommon integrity, adding that some of them even gathered how he firmly stood his stance to make the right declaration during the Presidential Election which Peter Obi won in Nasarawa State.
Continuing, the NBA chairman questioned how Prof Tanko’s declaration of the winner in the governorship election in the state could be generating a smear campaign, while it did not during the presidential election.
The Chairman reminded all those peddling rumours without proof to desist as it is a grave offence, adding that those also circulating such on social media should desist because it is a cyber crime under the law.
He urged 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.
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