A legal practitioner, Chetam Nwala, has criticised media personality, Pastor Segun Owolabi, over his role as anchor at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Nwala, in a statement reacting to Owolabi’s participation in the rally, questioned the journalist’s neutrality, arguing that his involvement in the political event could affect public perception of his professional credibility.
He said Owolabi, who anchors one of the state’s prominent political radio programmes, should have avoided anchoring the rally, given his position in the media industry.
According to Nwala, Owolabi’s participation could make it difficult for members of the public to regard him as neutral when interviewing opposition politicians and their supporters.
He acknowledged that the radio presenter might be a good person but maintained that his decision to anchor the rally had compromised his perceived neutrality in Rivers State’s political discourse.
“You can’t perform in an event and claim not to support the event or the organisers,” Nwala stated.
The lawyer further advised journalists to exercise caution in their public engagements, particularly during election periods, noting that although media practitioners may have political preferences, they should avoid actions that could undermine public confidence in their neutrality.
He described Owolabi as an APC-aligned journalist until further notice, adding that he was prepared for any consequences his criticism might attract, including the possibility of no longer being invited to the presenter’s radio station.
