The Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) has chided Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua over what they insisted was his unkind response to its earlier statement over the May 27 Children's Day stampede at Ogbe Stadium, Benin City.
In a joint statement Monday in Benin City by the national chairman, Dr. Samson Isibor, and secretary,
Hon. Nkama Waribe, the duo faulted Prince Afegbua over "his vituperation following our statement that exposed the unfortunate incident that occurred on Wednesday last week at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.
Recall that over 50 students, (mostly female) almost lost their lives after they collapsed in a stampede, when some private security personnel released cannisters of pepper spray to disperse some secondary school students, who attacked the female students during the ceremony at the stadium.
The injured students were eventually evacuated to a government owned hospital in the Edo State capital for emergency treatment.
Isibor and Waribe insisted that instead of the commissioner to explain what actually happened during the bedlam to Edo people, especially the parents of the victims, he descended heavily on members of the pressure group, derisively calling them members of an unregistered party, fuming:
"He used several uncivilized words to describe our chairman."
While noting that Prince Afegbua's responsibilities as the state government's spokesman is to inform, educate and enlighten the citizens on the activities of the government he serves, the chairman and the scribe further chided the commissioner for making "a bad job of managing his principal."
The statement continued: "Rather than addressing issues raised about the government he represents at any given opportunity, he vilifies the opposition and deceive the citizens with unintelligible grammars.
"Because of his penchant for grammar, we would have advised him to apply for a teaching job at any of the journalism schools, but we also know that he will not make a good teacher of that noble profession.
"Out of his ignorance, Afegbua could not differentiate between a political parties and pressure groups or civil associations. For the umpteenth time, we will educate him. CRPP, like other groups, namely, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Association of Political Parties (APP), Rainbow Coalition, United Political Parties (UPPG), Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), IPAC, etc, are all pressure groups."
The statement stated: "While some are sponsored by governments, many others, like CRPP, are self-sponsored. As a self-sponsored pressure group and voice of the people, CRPP has the mandate to put government at all levels on their to toes in order to deliver dividends of democracy to the people. And if members of CRPP dim it fit to make Dr. Isibor their chairman for as long as necessary, how does that affect the work of Afegbua as Information Commissioner?"
According to the statement, Prince Afegbua has served as spokesperson to over five prominent individuals, quickly adding, however that he ended up being dismissed ignominiously.
Isibor and Waribe recalled that only recently, the commissioner even attempted to contest an election in the state, but crashed out woefully as he couldn't secure as much as ten votes.
They said: "We must remind Prince Afegbua that those who live in glass houses must refrain from throwing stones indiscriminately, lest they inadvertently destroy their own houses..
"The more he keeps attacking the opposition unprovoked, the more he is unwittingly exposing his government to ridicule and negative criticism from the public over its failure to meet the people's aspirations."
Prince Afegbua could not however be reached for a reaction as his mobile phone was serially engaged
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