‘You can’t muzzle the media’ — coalition asks Nwulu to back off Epia

The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has condemned Tony Nwulu for tagging Oke Epia, publisher of OrderPaper Nigeria, as a politician. 

Epia had accused Nwulu, a former member of the house of representatives, of threatening him and some members of his team over an investigative report but the former lawmaker denied the allegation.

Nwulu, however, alleged that Epia is being sponsored to tarnish his image.

Thereafter, the police had grilled Epia, accusing him of defamation of character.

Reacting in a statement on Saturday, CWPPF described Nwulu’s tagging of Epia as a politician as “ridiculous”.

The coalition said the attempt exposes the former lawmaker’s sinister plot to “further harass, blackmail and muzzle the media with the sole aim of preventing it from performing its legal and constitutional duties of holding public officials to account” .

“For the records, Epia is one of Nigeria’s notable journalists of his generation with several remarkable contributions in investigative journalism and growth and development of the media,” the statement read.

“The OrderPaper Nigeria platform he founded and manages is making its mark already in daily reportage and engagement with the legislature, especially the National Assembly of Nigeria.

“That a journalist took leave of office at a time in his career to serve in public office in a professional capacity and thereafter returned to the newsroom after his tour of duty does not make him a politician, or any less a journalist.

“Therefore, the coalition views Mr. Nwulu’s claim that Epia is a politician and not a journalist as a subtle underground plot for possible molestation and attacks from political operatives and thugs in furtherance of the former lawmaker’s interests.”

The coalition called on law enforcement authorities to take note of Nwulu’s attack on the media and journalists.

It warned that Nwulu would be held responsible should anything untoward happen to Epia and his colleagues.

“We call on the police and other law enforcement authorities to take note of this dangerous dimension to Mr. Nwulu’s attack on the media and journalists and further state that should anything untoward happen to Epia and his colleagues at OrderPaper, he would be held responsible and accountable, “it said.

“As stated in our earlier statement on this matter, we make this as a final warning to Mr. Nwulu to desist from his ill-advised attack and harassment of the media.

“Since The OrderPaper have said they stand by their story, Mr. Nwulu is obliged to toe the decent and civilized path of proving them wrong by making the facts available to the public.”