than, condemning his arrest.
Apparently, IBB did not write any
letter 'lecturing' President Jonathan, as El-Rufai made some to
believe on his twitter and facebook pages.
The truth is, in 2011
Babangida actually wrote a letter to Jonathan published in the
Vanguard, when El Rufai had a similar brush with the SSS, but El Rufai,
using one of his lackeys on twitter and Facebook called Omojuwa,
doctored the 2011 letter, made it look like it was written this week,
and splashed it on social media .
Part of that letter from IBB
reads “”The arrest and release of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is a deliberate
distraction which the President must run away from. He must avoid
gambling with decisions and he must be willing to seek a third opinion
on issues before he takes his decision. President Goodluck Jonathan must
understand that there is a whole body of people out there who are not
happy with happenings in the country. It is his responsibility as
President of the country to reach out to them and make his mission
understandable to the common man on the street so that they can buy into
his government.”
Afegbua a former spokesperson of IBB before
his current job as Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs to the Edo
State Governor categorically denied ever issuing such a release.
He
said “… 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 http://www.africanopinion.com/arrest-of-el-rufai/ . 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.”
Read Afegbua's rebuttal below:
“My
attention has just been drawn to a news story and statement purportedly
credited to me with a blaring headline “Your Aides are misleading you;
IBB warns Jonathan” published in one Global Village Extra, an online
publication. To state the least, this is 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. 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. Even though General IBB has not
officially appointed a Media Spokesman since I left, my acceptance of
the offer of Special Adviser by my Governor automatically removes me
from being General IBB's Spokesman, a position I so cherished and a
personality I so admire. It is therefore bad journalism for one
obscure, good-for-nothing, unprofessional platform such as the Global
Villa Extra, to fabricate a statement and credit same to me, not only to
mislead the public but cause disaffection amongst the personalities
involved.
General IBB is a leader of leaders that I admire so
much and one whose understanding of the delicate politics of the country
is, in my honest view, unequalled. I have been a very good student of
his political school of thought since I met him till date and I will
remain so till the end of time. It is not in his character to join
issues with leaders in such pedestrian manner as reflected in the
so-called statement credited to me. This rebuttal becomes instructive to
put the records straight and disabuse the minds of our numerous
followers, friends and associates who may come across this statement in
one way or the other. It is also to remind the publisher[s] of Global
Village Extra that journalism is a very serious profession that requires
all the ethics, decorum and standard from all practitioners, but
certainly not this category of naysayers, hirelings and
journalistic-jobbers that are trying to mislead the public. 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. 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.
I therefore wish to formally disown the said statement in
part, whole and its entirety. It was neither authorized by me nor
General IBB and should be so discountenanced. I wish to thank my
reputable colleagues in the media who quickly saw through this statement
as a piece of abhorrence and alerted me almost immediately. May God
continue to replenish your wisdom and deep sense of judgment.
THANK YOU.
PRINCE KASSIM AFEGBUA
SPECIAL ADVISER, MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRSTO THE EDO STATE GOVERNOR.”
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