Kassim Afegbua the spokesman of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, might vie for an elective position while noting that his life is under threat.
Afegbua
made this known in a statement issued on Friday, February 9, 2018 hours
after leaving the office of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Afegbua's cross
Afegbua, who has worked as
IBB's
spokesman for 14years, became the cynosure of all eyes - the security
agencies inclusive - after he released a statement credited to the
former Military President on Sunday, February 4, 2018.
play
Ibrahim Babangida wrote a memo to Buhari and then denied it, before accepting he did
(Guardian Nigeria )
A
counter statement had emerged hours after Afegbua released the statement
saying the ex-Military president denied giving his consent for such
statement.
In the counter statement, IBB denied urging President Buhari not to re-contest in 2019.
Since this, Afegbua has been in and out of the offices of the police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Afegbua
said on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, after spending seven hours without
being told why he was summoned to the DSS headquarters, he was asked to
return on Friday, and that an operative interrogated him over the
statement after he had spent two hours.
He said at the end of the interrogation, his personal details were taken.
Threat to life
Kassim Afegbua has announced threat on his life following a statement he released on behalf of ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida.
He said: "Let
me state at this point that my life is in danger as we speak. I have
been receiving series of unknown phone calls from people threatening me
and my family."
play
General Ibrahim Babangida- Former Nigerian Head of State.
(Punch)
Remaining resolute to continue to discharge his duty as IBB's spokesman, Afegbua said: "But
I am resolute in the true spirit of a free-born, that threats,
intimidation, harassment and psychological torturing has never and will
not stop me from exercising my right of free speech as enshrined in the
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as well as carrying out
my professional responsibility. I will not submit to intimidation,
harassment and threats. Certainly not. I have just a life to live and no
one under God will live forever."
Eyeing elective office
In all of the controversy surrounding
Afegbua's statement, the spokesman has already hinted possibility of contesting for an elective office come 2019.
"On
a lighter note, the support, accolades and motivation I received during
this period have given me added confidence to seek elective public
office in no distant future," he hinted in a statement after his release from DSS.
IBB stood solidly behind me
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Former President Ibrahim Babangida
(TheCable)
Despite the counter statement denying
IBB's consent to Afegbua's statement,
the spokesman has said the ex-Military president stood by him and his
family all through his ordeal after the statement release.
Afegbua said: "Let
me use this opportunity to thank my principal, General Ibrahim
Babangida, GCFR and members of his family who were constantly in touch
with me to share in my tribulations.
"General Ibrahim Babangida's words of encouragement and assurances further bolstered my resolve to soldier on," Afegbua noted.
Read Kassim Afegbua's full statement
“In
the last six days, I have gone through traumatic experience when I was
declared wanted by the Nigeria Police. By the strength of that
unprofessional declaration, I was treated like a common criminal and
fugitive until I showed up at the police headquarters Abuja to
physically present myself,” he said.
“After
what the police termed a no case issue, they were apologetic and I took
my leave. In the evening of that day, Wednesday 7th February, 2018 I
got a phone call inviting me to the headquarters of the Directorate of
State Security (DSS).
“I
honoured the invitation on Thursday and spent 7 hours waiting for
attention. I left the office at 6.50pm when it became clear nobody was
ready to tell me what the invitation was meant for. I was informed to
report back on Friday 9th February, 2018 at 11am. On arrival on Friday,
having spent 2 hours, I was attended to by the Director of Operations
and two others who interrogated me on the said statement I issued. My
interrogation was recorded electronically and was made to write a
statement affirming the issued statement, having collected all my
personal details; house address, account number, international passport
number and other information.
“I
find this whole episode quite nauseating and utterly condemnable. I
cannot rationalise why just a statement would amount to subjecting me to
rigorous interrogation especially when there was no complainant. The
action of the Nigeria Police coupled with that of the State Security
Service is at best that of a meddlesome interloper and sheer bullying,
leaving serious developmental issues to chasing shadows with a view to
intimidate, harass and embarrass me.
“Let
me state at this point that my life is in danger as we speak. I have
been receiving series of unknown phone calls from people threatening me
and my family. But I am resolute in the true spirit of a free-born, that
threats, intimidation, harassment and psychological torturing has never
and will not stop me from exercising my right of free speech as
enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as
well as carrying out my professional responsibility. I will not submit
to intimidation, harassment and threats. Certainly not. I have just a
life to live and no one under God will live forever.
"Let
me use this opportunity to thank my principal, General Ibrahim
Babangida, GCFR and members of his family who were constantly in touch
with me to share in my tribulations. General Ibrahim Babangida's words
of encouragement and assurances further bolstered my resolve to soldier
on. I am eternally grateful to Nigerians especially the Media for their
solidarity, support and espirit de corps. Words are not enough to convey
my deep and profound gratitude. My thanks also go to my very adorable
and supportive wife who stood by me throughout the whole process without
betraying any sentiments. And to members of my larger Afegbua family,
my reliable friends, associates and compatriots, I record my thanks and
appreciation in million ways.
"And
to my very dependable and reliable lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo and other
lawyers who offered their voices to prosecute this case, I am eternally
grateful. To take a Kayode Ajulo out on a stressful five days legal
engagement without collecting a dime, is to me, the height of humanity.
I am not only touched but humbled by this show of support and uncommon
generousity. And my good friend, Emmanuel Ajibulu, such an efficient,
and proactive media networker, I cannot thank you enough.
"This
experience to me is an eye opener in so many ways. I feel a sense of
personal gratitude to several of Nigeria's foremost legal luminaries who
maintained a constant touch and gave useful legal advice throughout the
period of this travails. I am most humbled. And the Almighty Allah will
meet all of you in your hour of need. On a lighter note, the support,
accolades and motivation I received during this period have given me
added confidence to seek elective public office in no distant future."
play
Ibrahim Babangida wrote a memo to Buhari and then denied it, before accepting he did
play
General Ibrahim Babangida- Former Nigerian Head of State.
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Former President Ibrahim Babangida