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EDO APC GUBER CAMPAIGN MEDIA DIRECTOR UPBRADES ARISE TV’S ANCHORS, ABATI, RUFAI OVER ALLEGED PARTISANSHIP
The media director of the All-Progressives Congress, APC Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua, has taken umbrage at the perceived “high-handed journalistic irresponsibility and verbal recklessness” displayed by anchor of the Arise News Morning Show, and former presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, when he hosted the Edo State Chairman of the All-Progressives Congress, APC, Jarret Tenebe.
Afegbua said Abati also goofed as a journalist when he hosted Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the September 21 governorship election in the state when he exhibited preference for Ighodalo and Governor Obaseki, “having run election under the same platform as them”.
He said Abati erred “in thinking that even on TV, as a host, he can carry out that duty, jettisoning the code and codex of journalistic ethics, just to protect the interest of the PDP”.
In a statement on Saturday entitled ‘Reuben Abati, Arise TV and Their Shenanigans, Afegbua said Abati, as a card-carrying member of the PDP who ran election in 2019 for Deputy Governor with Buruji Kashamu, (in Ogun State) did not just stop at taking sides against the candidate of the APC when he hosted Tenebe, the chairman of the party, he said he “sardonically asked the chairman to invite the APC candidate to feature on his programme adding that even if the APC candidate spoke only Benin or Esan language, they would still be happy to have him”.
Taking a swipe at Abati, Afegbua argued that “If fluency in English language is all that is required to sail through political contestation, Abati would not have failed electorally when he contested. This deliberate act to deride and undermine our candidate to suit the bulbous ego of your preferred candidate will not sail. Edo voters will determine who leads them on the 21st of September 2024.
Insisting that Arise TV never extended a formal invitation to his party’s candidate, Afegbua, a former commissioner for information in the state, posited that in saner societies, guests feature on programs at the behest of the host, “not on the basis of sassy remarks”, adding that “Impetuous Reuben Abati unfortunately, has hastily concluded that Senator Monday Okpebholo is slaloming around his show”, which he said was incorrect, “rather, it is Abati who has clearly exhibited himself as specious and partisan”.
According to Afegbua, “Apropos of Senator Monday Okpebholo’s invitation to Arise TV, if Arise TV wishes to interview him, all they need do is invite him; and properly at that. Arise TV and her producer of The Morning Show have never invited the APC candidate for any interview. As a spokesman for the APC Campaign in Edo, I am sure that nobody has invited him directly, through me, or through any other recognized medium respectfully, to discuss the upcoming elections, on any of the television’s programs.
“Abati should not sit in judgement as an anchor, or verbally invite a candidate through the candidate’s opponent as he did on Monday, 26 August when Asue Ighodalo featured on his show. That Reuben Abati made snide remarks about the APC’s candidate in such a hare-brained, reckless and remiss manner is irresponsible and unwise of him, and unfortunate for the profession.
“It is clearly emblematic of his partisanship. His remarks watered down his already apathetic invitation leaving it tantamount to no invitation. We have our wits about us and will not capitulate to anything beneath our honour. It is beneath Senator Monday’s honour to respond to that sham and insult”.
Afegbua asserted that Senator Monday Okpebholo, who Abati attempted to denigrate, “is versed in the matters of Edo State and people, and his acceptance across the entire state is vast; I dare say cosmic in size!”
While stating that the APC candidate had been campaigning across the state, using English as his language of communication, and has got resounding approbation from all across the state without needing to ingratiate himself with the people via petty gifts and meals like some others are doing, Afegbua said “his works, and even his aura and deportment have endeared him to his people.
“He is fit and proper for the job of Governor and has all that it takes to take Edo State and people to higher heights. He is no asymptote who aims to employ sophistry, demagoguery, and artifice to put Edo people on a treadmill or a “one chance” life for four to eight years, not even scratching the surface of their needs – no! He is a man with drive and vision; a man with mental and physical models of the station where he wants Edo to be. He is a go getter; he has been doing things and will continue to do things; and you can take that to the bank! He is an action man.
“Arise TV should stop all this journalistic gangsterism and just remain fair and balanced as a news medium. We decry, deprecate, and condemn in totality the impetuous and reckless attempts by Reuben Abati and Rufai Oseni as TV anchors, to take electioneering to the screen, by craftily denigrating and deriding a more preferred candidate, in a bid to funnel the people towards the candidate of their choice”.
