Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu Threatens Legal Action Against Radio Station Over Alleged Interview Distortion
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has become embroiled in a media controversy following an alleged distortion of an interview he granted to ABN TV. The misrepresentation, attributed to Spin 95.3 FM, has sparked widespread public misinformation and confusion.
In the original interview aired on ABN TV, Kalu expressed his longstanding friendship with Abia State Governor Alex Otti, stating, "Alex Otti has been my friend for a very long time... every governor in Abia State has always received my support... But we have to push the interest of our party to take over the state."
However, according to reports, Spin 95.3 FM allegedly altered the content of the interview, falsely quoting Kalu as saying, "I will not be the number 6 citizen of the country, and another party will govern my state... APC will determine who will become the next governor of Abia state... I have told him in person, I have told him publicly that the APC governor will be next in Abia state."
This alleged misrepresentation has ignited outrage from Kalu, who has threatened legal action against Spin 95.3 FM. The Deputy Speaker's legal team, led by renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, K.C. Nwufor, is reportedly preparing to take appropriate action against the media outlet for what they describe as a deliberate distortion of the interview's content.
In response to the allegations, Spin 95.3 FM released a statement denying any involvement in the production or conduct of the interview. The radio station claimed that they sourced the content from ABN TV's social media platforms and credited the original source when sharing the video on their TikTok page.
ABN TV has refuted Spin FM's claims, challenging the radio station to produce a portion of the video that matches the content they aired. In a strongly worded statement, ABN TV accused Spin FM of editing their watermarked video, asserting, "We challenge Spin FM to explain how their watermark appeared on content they never originally produced."
This incident highlights the dangers of misinformation in the media, especially when it involves high-profile public figures like Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. The controversy underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the potential legal repercussions for media outlets that fail to adhere to ethical standards.
Currently on holiday, Kalu has declined to comment further on the issue, leaving his legal team to handle the matter. The outcome of this brewing legal battle could set a significant precedent in media accountability and the protection of public figures from misrepresentation.
