The patriarch of Omatseye family in Warri, Delta State, Professor Jim Nesin Omatseye, has begged for harm not to befall their son, journalist Sam Omatseye.
This was after an article written against Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by the journalist generated lots of backlash and threats.
Omatseye himself had cried out on social media, urging Peter Obi to call his supporters to order after receiving death threats for the article.
“Mr. Peter Obi, call you supporters to order. They are calling and issuing death threats. If anything happens to me, you will be held responsible!!!!”, he tweeted.
Reacting, his family issued a statement through Jim, urging the public not to do anything that will be detrimental to his life.
According to Jim: “I want to react to the negative reaction that is coming from many quarters as a result of the article Obi, which was written by Sam Omatseye, who is a member of my family.
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.
“The regular parties have people who have disappointed a lot of people in the country as a result of these challenges and people are looking for change.
“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.
“We plead with the public and those who disagree with him, to not do anything that will be detrimental to him”.