The family of journalist Sam Omatseye has pleaded with those angered by his opinion article titled ‘Obi-tuary’ to sheath their swords.
Mr Omatseye faced backlash over his article published in The Nation on August 1 which was critical of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and his supporters.
In the article, the chairman of the editorial board of The Nation likened Obi’s cause to that of the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Reacting to the death threats which followed the article, the patriarch of Omatseye family in Warri, Delta State, Professor Jim Nesin Omatseye, told The Nation on Friday that Omatseye only expressed his opinion.
He said: “The reaction that is trailing that publication, I believe, it’s as a result of what is happening in the country; the state of insecurity, the high level of poverty, the suffering of so many people. And as a result of this, people are looking for change, whether from the right or from the left…
“Whatever it is that Sam has written, it’s his personal opinion to which he is entitled. But he should not be threatened by anyone because he’s doing his job as a journalist.
“It is not all the time that what journalists say, everybody agrees with. Therefore, we want to say, from the perspective of the family, that he should not be threatened or harmed by anyone.”
Omatseye had tweeted that Obi would be held responsible if anything happens to him. Obi had yet to respond as of press time.
