The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has hit back at the editors of THISDAY/Arise Television over accusing the campaign organization of trying to silence free and fair journalism.
According to the campaign organization, the allegations of the editors of ARISE TV/THISDAY are baseless and reekof the unfounded reports common to the twin media organization.
It reiterated that regardless of the extent at bullying and intimidating the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to attend its organized Town Hall, he would not succumb to their blackmail and harassment.
Recall that on several occasions the media organization had invited Tinubu to its presidential Town Hall, but on those occasions, the APC standard bearer had explained to them he won’t be able to attend due to the activities on his schedule.
Arise TV/THISDAY have, however, refused to accept Tinubu’s reasons for not attending the Town Hall meeting — despite the constitution granting him such right — going ahead to deploy several means to coerce and intimidate the APC presidential candidate to attending its meeting.
Latest of such moves was a publication on Monday where the news organisations accused the Tinubu campaign of making requests for the removal of Shaka Momodu, THISDAY editor, and Rufai Oseni, The Morning Show co-host, from their current positions.
Responding in a statement, the campaign organization said, “It is instructive that Obaigbena’s media group is isolated in making this frivolous allegation against the duo.
“Not only does THISDAY newspaper publish unfounded rumours masquerading as truth, many of its columnists substitute vile and vulgar abuse for sound logic and informed analyses while its television anchors heckle and harass their guests, particularly those of the APC in their jaundiced, flagrantly unprofessional programmes
“We recall that both THISDAY and ARISE Television sought to bully and compel the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, into attending its Town Hall meetings with presidential candidates, despite the media team’s explanation that it would not attend such programmes organised in a haphazard and uncoordinated manner by individual media houses.
“Each candidate’s campaign team has the right to adopt its own strategies for reaching out to and interacting with Nigerians.
“As we have repeatedly said, the Tinubu campaign will not succumb to the blackmail, intimidation and harassment of Obaigbena and his media group.”