Defamation: Billy Egbe Backs Politicians Seeking Justice In Court.

By Henry Ubus.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Delta State Governor on Media, Mr. Billy Egbe, has cautioned against the growing trend of condemning politicians who choose to defend their reputation through the court of law rather than resorting to violence.

In a statement released today, Mr. Egbe expressed concern that some social media users, by their utterances and attitudes, are indirectly encouraging politicians to abandon legal channels and instead employ thugs when defamed online.

According to him, “Some of you are indirectly telling the politicians to quietly use thugs instead of court whenever they are defamed on social media. Because you cannot actually tell a man how best to handle issues surrounding his own reputation.”

He stressed that reputation remains a vital asset that every individual, particularly public office holders, has a right to protect. “If you have no reputation to protect, another man has. If you have a reputation to protect but see no need to protect your reputation when you are defamed and accused of stealing a bus and transformers, another person may see the need to protect his reputation when he is falsely accused of stealing,” Egbe explained.

Mr. Egbe described as “holier-than-thou nonsense” the tendency of some individuals to criticize those who approach the courts for justice, noting that such people deserve commendation for choosing a lawful and civil path.

He added, “It is cheaper to approach thugs than to approach the court. So respect those who choose the more expensive but responsible option.”

The SSA further emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and respecting the judicial process as the proper means of addressing defamation and other reputational attacks, urging members of the public to encourage decency and civility in both online and offline engagements.