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stephen akintayoIt was a beautiful afternoon at about 3:10pm on Tuesday,17th March while teaching my students on How to become a Digital Marketing Consultant, a man walked into the reception after my secretary informed him to wait till I finish my training before he could see me.He rushed to the ground where the training was being held and showed his ID card saying he was here to arrest me.I asked for his warrant and he immediately ordered his men & women who were heavy looking with their heavy guns and said; I am from the presidency and operating by the president’s order,how dear you ask me for warrant, ordering that I be physically assaulted and I told them not to dare that and followed them.

Getting to their office a young man was asked to come and he claimed he bought our database.The SSS officer latter told me these men had been locked up for the past 5 days. He didn’t tell me why but my investigation shows that this client bought our database for Buhari Campaign Organization and pushed over 3 million emails that went viral and helped the Buhari chance at this coming polls.

Was It constitutional wrong to send Viral Political campaign content?

No! Nigeria at the moment doesn’t have any spam law.Also, these database was acquired from a business partner whose clients subscribed for newsletters and we have the resellers rights.

Am I Campaigning for Buhari?

No! But I am CEO of a company that runs digital marketing for cooperate organizations,churches,NGOs and political parties.I am not a member of any party and my company renders professional services for various political parties.And one of my biggest clients is the President himself. But we render services for whoever ask for our service.

Another friend who has a bulk sms website had security men raid his home and took his wife into custody and latter released her because they didn’t see him and the allegation is the same APC members used his bulk sms site to send campaign sms. Digital Marketing is a legal industry worldwide and businesses have the right to offer their services to whoever pays for the service as long as the content is not inciting .Early that morning before the arrest some of my staff were called by SSS claiming to be from APC trying to find out who they want to vote for,all in an effort to know if they want to vote for APC or not.When has APC become a terrorist group that SSS should be asking Nigerian citizens to tell them if they want to vote them or not?Every Nigerian has the right to vote whoever they want to vote for.This was the same issue I was blaming pro Buhari for on social media that they are bullying people on social media and that it is wrong to bully anyone for choosing to vote for one candidate or the other.We must protect the digital marketing industry from politicians who want to destroy this industry in its infancy. Politicians are not even our main clients, but businesses who are dying daily as a result of harsh economic environment and not able to market as conventional marketing is more expensive.We have helped thousands of businesses particularly SMEs who have survived due to our digital marketing consultations ,services and trainings.

Am I Pro Jonathan?

Hitherto, I have been a pro Jonathan and have written series of articles against Buhari but for the first time,I am disappointed and considering my decision as everyone around me are now anti Jonathan because of what happened. When you throw stones be careful where you throw it to as it may hit one of your own.Without personally collecting a dime nor have I met him,I have single handed lay campaign for him on Social Media and various forums I am privileged to speak at.

I have refused to attend Buhari nor Jonathan’s event but follow on air keenly so as not to be seen to be partisan, but that my personal opinion for conversing for Jonathan was of a pure conscience.I have severally stated that this is a personal opinion and not that of any of the companies I founded.

Few Question I have for Jonathan and his team?

1)Why must I be harassed by the same system I am campaigning for?

2)Why should anyone be arrested for doing email campaign for Buhari. If the campaign was for Dr Goodluck, would there have been any arrest?

3)Show me anywhere in the Nigerian constitution where it is wrong to send such bulk Mail?

4)If you had wanted to arrest anyone why not arrest the leaders of the political parties instead of arresting innocent young men who are working hard in a country where there is no job?

The Youths

President Goodluck has stated severally that he stands for young people and want to protect and defend their future. If that is true,why should some two young boys in their early twenties be illegally arrested by the SSS for 5 days without bail or being charged to court? I have publicly shared on national televisions that young people should maximize the business opportunities in this elections and provide services for politicians than to turn to a thug and cause violence. This is the time for youths to be on the Table and not on the Menu.

My Personal Opinion

It is a huge disappointment that a Parastatal can call itself SSS and will come to arrest a loyal citizen without even googling his name so as to do facial identification.What kind of gross incompetence is that? If SSS had done its investigation well, they would have known am not anti Jonathan and will not waste state property to come and arrest me as if I was a terrorist. Also, a simple invite was all they needed to do and hear my part of the story and not to cause a scene and even seizing the phone of one of my students’ that videoed the incident for evidence.

To the president I want to advice that this is not the time to arrest oppositions or those working for them. No! not even ordinary citizens going about their daily bread with no single criminal incidents. Law abiding citizens are being arrested day and night because they are perceived to be working for APC. I think Jonathan should look inward, a lot of people who claim to be his friends are wolves in sheep clothes deceiving the president. Now that you have illegally harassed me, do you still expect me to canverse for votes for you in this general elections? We must all build a Nigeria of our dreams where no one will be unjustly treated and subjugated to ill treatment. We don’t need political prisoners. We need a great nation where law and order will take effect without any compliment. Equity and justice be done no matter who you are.

If not for my Lawyer and position in the society, is that the way I would have been illegally detained for 5 days for no just cause? This is a huge shame and slap to the Jonathan’s Government. I am terribly disappointed. While I am still widely consulting whether I will use the remaining 9 days to this election to actively campaign against Jonathan I will like my loved ones to know that my decision will be above sentiments but personal conviction of what will benefit Nigerians as a whole and not my personal interest.

I want to thank all my loved ones who stood by me and made sacrifices for my speedy release. I am grateful to all those who called all their “ogas at the top” for me without even asking anyone to do so. God bless you. My staff are amongst the team who took charge of business and didn’t even need a single family member’s presence before it was all resolved. Indeed you are an example of the kind of Nigerian enterprise Spirit we preach about.

I wish to say that this is my personal opinion and hope SSS will not come after me again for saying my mind, after all we are all praising president Goodluck for signing freedom of information bill. You can’t slap me and still expect me to keep quite. Well If they come after me again, you know what to do.

How can a ruling party be behaving as the opposition? As a Digital Marketing Consultant who has helped many businesses get better results online, I have told Jonathan’s Campaign team to get better hands to manage their social media archives and digital campaigns. The things Jonathan should have been doing is what APC is doing in campaigns. Email Marketing is one of the bests strategy Obama used to become American’s first black president. How can you be surrounding yourself with mediocres and not wake up to get the best hands. In my office,I often tell my staff,if I am more intelligent than you guys, there is trouble because leadership is about managing the best hands and not being the best hand.

If Jonathan’s online campaign is in shambles blame the team who are using old strategies. You can’t be going about arresting young people in the digital space for referring service and blackmail them. Never! can’t fall for it. I advice whoever ordered this kind of arrest to desist from it. Rather wisdom demand that you entice best brains in that industry to work for you and not to intimidate them. If things continue this way, I am afraid that May 29th will be Sai Buhari! and I don’t want that to happen for the various reasons I have stated in my previous articles,#whyiwillnotvoteforbuhariandyoushouldnt

I cannot kill myself for any politician, I fear only God. I cannot die for any party and that’s why I refused to carry any party’s card. I say my mind all the time and I remain patriotic about this nation. All my International trips is after this election. Lots of my friends have traveled, out of fear of intimidation and fear of violence. I am going no where. This election will be peaceful, free and fair and the right person that will bring true and lasting Change will Win. I stand for Nigeria! God bless Nigeria, God bless you all. #sacrificeswemakefortheloveofnigeria



http://blog.stephenakintayo.com/how-president-jonathan-sent-sss-to-arrest-me-by-stephen-akintayo/

The source is not credible enough... But If this is real then it is really bad.. Bad for our country... May God help us..