Babangida Didn't Write Jonathan - Kassim Afegbua, Media Aide
Kassim Afegbua, the media aide to the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed a statement he allegedly issued on behalf of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida on Wednesday.
Mr. Afebgua, who was Mr. Babangida’s publicist before he joined the Edo State government, said the former president did not authorize any statement expressing worry over some recent happenings in the polity, including the arrest and detention of the Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Nasir El-Rufai.
The former president was also quoted in the purported statement as warning Mr. Jonathan to be careful with his advisers and sycophants, in and out of government, so that his focus, resilience, and perseverance would not be derailed.
“The happenings in the country in recent times call for worry if we must be sincere with ourselves,” Mr. Babangida, who ruled Nigeria between 1985 and 1993, was quoted as saying. “Every day, the nation is treated with one form of political issue or the other. From security challenges to economic challenges, Nigerians are asking several questions that deserve responses from government at the various levels.
Democracy is when it is a people-driven government with its fundamental principles of freedom of expression, freedom of association, rule of law, accountability, probity and equal representation amongst others.”
But Mr. Afegbua, in a statement on Wednesday evening, denied issuing any statement authorized by Mr. Babangida warning the president not to allow his aides mislead him. The apparently furious aide to Mr. Oshiomhole described the attribution of the statement to him “as outright blackmail journalism and a sad commentary on journalism practice; a profession that I hold dear to my heart.”
“I wish to state unequivocally that I am currently working in Edo State as a Special Adviser to the Comrade Governor on Media and Public Affairs, a position which was expressly endorsed by my boss-for-life General IBB (Babangida). “Let me also state without mincing words that I did not issue the said statement that is flying around the social media on behalf of IBB. Let me also declare with all the emphasis at my disposal that General IBB did not authorize anyone to issue any statement on his behalf let alone crediting same odious statement to me; Prince Kassim Afegbua,” he added.
Mr. Afegbua narrated that when his attention was drawn to the report, he called the local telephone number of the online publication that first published it, but did not get any response. He said thereafter, he called its international line and a receiver on the other end, who refused to disclose his name, expressed shock at his complaint and assured that he would give instructions for the removal of the concocted lies from the site of the publication.
“When I called the local mobile telephone number of the online publication:08165076156, no one answered my several calls. In fact, the receiver from the other end was cutting my calls, Mr. Afegbua said. “When I called the international number 00912407041545, a receiver from the other end who refused to disclose his name, expressed shock at my declaration. He did promise to instruct his co-conspirators to remove the tissue of concocted lies from their site.
As at the time of writing this rebuttal, he has not done so,” Mr. Afegbua saidKassim Afegbua, the media aide to the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has disowned a statement he purportedly issued on behalf of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida on Wednesday.
Mr. Afebgua, who was Mr. Babangida’s publicist before he joined the Edo State government, said the former president did not authorize any statement expressing worry over some recent happenings in the polity, including the arrest and detention of the Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Nasir El-Rufai.
The former president was also quoted in the purported statement as warning Mr. Jonathan to be careful with his advisers and sycophants, in and out of government, so that his focus, resilience, and perseverance would not be derailed.
“The happenings in the country in recent times call for worry if we must be sincere with ourselves,” Mr. Babangida, who ruled Nigeria between 1985 and 1993, was quoted as saying. “Every day, the nation is treated with one form of political issue or the other. From security challenges to economic challenges, Nigerians are asking several questions that deserve responses from government at the various levels.
Democracy is when it is a people-driven government with its fundamental principles of freedom of expression, freedom of association, rule of law, accountability, probity and equal representation amongst others.” But Mr. Afegbua, in a statement on Wednesday evening, denied issuing any statement authorized by Mr. Babangida warning the president not to allow his aides mislead him.
The apparently furious aide to Mr. Oshiomhole described the attribution of the statement to him “as outright blackmail journalism and a sad commentary on journalism practice; a profession that I hold dear to my heart.”
“I wish to state unequivocally that I am currently working in Edo State as a Special Adviser to the Comrade Governor on Media and Public Affairs, a position which was expressly endorsed by my boss-for-life General IBB (Babangida). “Let me also state without mincing words that I did not issue the said statement that is flying around the social media on behalf of IBB.
Let me also declare with all the emphasis at my disposal that General IBB did not authorize anyone to issue any statement on his behalf let alone crediting same odious statement to me; Prince Kassim Afegbua,” he added.
Mr. Afegbua narrated that when his attention was drawn to the report, he called the local telephone number of the online publication that first published it, but did not get any response.
He said thereafter, he called its international line and a receiver on the other end, who refused to disclose his name, expressed shock at his complaint and assured that he would give instructions for the removal of the concocted lies from the site of the publication.
“When I called the local mobile telephone number of the online publication:08165076156, no one answered my several calls. In fact, the receiver from the other end was cutting my calls, Mr. Afegbua said.
“When I called the international number 00912407041545, a receiver from the other end who refused to disclose his name, expressed shock at my declaration. He did promise to instruct his co-conspirators to remove the tissue of concocted lies from their site. As at the time of writing this rebuttal, he has not done so,” Mr. Afegbua said
Source: Legit.ng
