By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Government has described and debunked as mischievous, fake, and lies from the pit of hell, the trending news content credited to the Anambra Times (one of the state government’s news publication platforms) on the alleged thickening plot to by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to assassinate the Founder and Spiritual Director of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma (Fr. Ebube Muonso).
This is coming at the peak of the disagreement and media ‘skirmish’ between the state government and Fr. Ebube Muonso over the security situation in the state.
It would be recalled that Fr. Ebube Muonso has recently lashed out some criticisms and condemnations against what he described as worsening insecurity in Anambra State, adding that the state government appears to be adamant to that — a viral criticism that attracted the response and reactions of the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, and some other media aides under the government of the day.
However, as these reactions and counter-reactions continue to trend, a viral media post emerged over the recently on social media, with the title “Breaking: APGA’s Plot to Assassinate Ebubemunso Thickens” and which the author credited to the Anambra Times (a state government news publication platform that has Commissioner Mefor as the Editor-in-Chief), as its source.
Reacting to the news through a statement issued to newsmen on Friday, January 10, the Anambra State Information Commissioner, Dr. Mefor, who refuted the publication as fake, said it was posted on ANAMBRA POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERS FORUM WhatsApp group by one Law Ozalla, adding that the author mischievously and wickedly credited the news to Anambra Times as his source.
The Commissioner further highlighted some points to authenticate and corroborate his refutation.
The statement read: “Our attention at Anambra Times has been drawn (late last night), to a FAKE NEWS posted on a WhatsApp Group by the name, ANAMBRA POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERS FORUM where the author mischievously and wickedly credited to Anambra Times as his source. The FAKE NEWS was posted by one LAW OZALLA and titled: “Breaking: APGA’s Plot to Assassinate Ebubemunso Thickens.” We wish to categorically state as follows:
“Anambra Times has never published a news item with such a Slug (title) on our news blog or posted any content that forewarns of any planned violence against anybody on any social media platform or WhatsApp Group. Our website/news blog (www.anambratimes.ng) is open 24 hours to the public and this can be fact-checked and confirmed.
“Our editorial team, including our Editor-in-Chief do not belong to the WhatsApp Group in question.
“Our reportage in the last 8 years when Anambra Times debuted has been characterised by objective and accurate reporting. We are guided by our slogan which says: “…facts don’t lie”. We are not known for reporting lies and this is why we have commanded a cult following/readership for close to a decade now.
“The format of the said report does not sync with our House Style where we insist on using our reporter’s byline to identify who filed in a story or “AT Reporter” to indicate that the news was distilled in-house from a pot-pourri of reports.
“Someone somewhere, in attempt to give his false report some credibility, must have opted to freeload on Anambra Times editorial integrity to get some attention. We will resist any attempt to stain our hard-earned professional reputation built over these years.
“We wish to emphatically state once again that at no time did we write or publish the said news story which we consider malicious, aimed at creating panic and bad blood, as well as unnecessarily overheating the polity.
“Administrators of the WhatsApp Group should check what their members dump on the platform to avoid dire consequences for their negligence.”
