Press Statement
My attention has been drawn to the malicious allegation by one Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubairu, the Cross River State Correspondent of AIT (African Independent Television) that I threatened his life over his report of my purported disqualification by the Peoples Democratic Party after the Screening Committee had issued a Clearance Certificate to me to take part in the by-election for Cross River North Senatorial elections.
Ordinarily, I would have ignored the blatant lies peddled by the said Rasheed in that report but because of the recent development in Cross River State between the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and a journalist with the Daily Trust, I wish to put the record straight.
The said Rasheed carried a story on my purported disqualification without making any efforts to confirm from the National headquarters of our great party, the PDP or the courtesy to hear from me so that he would give the public a correct information without embarrassing the AIT that is highly respected in the country and beyond.
To the best of my knowledge, objectivity and fairness (balancing of reports) have been the guiding principles of journalism profession, but Rasheed because of pecuniary considerations from his pay Master decided to do the hatchet job by throwing caution to the wind.
He claimed that I threatened him and that he has the audio conversation between two of us, I will like him to make the audio public.
I have so much respect for journalists and the journalism profession, but I would like the practitioners to abide by the tenets of the profession and not to bring it to disrepute.
Rt Hon Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe
Member,
Representing Ogoja/ Yala Federal Constituency.
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