The leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC), in Edo Central Senatorial District, expressed dismay at “the low-life” conduct of the member representing Igueben Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, *Hon. Ephraim Aluebhose.*
In a video that has gone viral, Hon Ephraim Aluebhose was seen brutalizing a journalist, which immediately degenerated into a mob physical attack on the journalist by thugs on the scene where the violent attack occurred.
Our detailed investigation revealed that, the dehumanized journalist, *Leftist Aimuaemwosa Igbinobhaya* is an investigative journalist working with Naija Watch Media, who was on an official assignment to investigate the poor and substandard construction of a road in Idigungo, Igueben, as a result of the petition send to Naija Watch by a concerned resident of Idigungo community.
We also gathered that, the said poor and substandard road under construction was allocated to Hon Ephraim Aluebhose as a constituency project within his purview.
We further enquired even as corroborated by the aforementioned video, that, the brutalized journalist, leftist Aimuaemwosa Igbinobhaya was carrying out his official assessment at the scene of the substandard road construction, when Hon Ephraim Aluebhose and his gang of thugs accused journalist Igbinobhaya of inciting the people against him, a situation which spiraled into physical assault of the journalist, and his subsequent arrest and detention at Igueben Divisional Police Station, even as he was gasping for oxygen.
At the moment of this press statement, the violently assaulted journalist has been transferred from Igueben General Hospital to a private hospital, due to the severity of his condition.
In the light of the forgoing, the leadership of the APC in Edo Central finds it reprehensible and consider the brutalization, assault and public humiliation of leftist Aimuaemwosa Igbinobhaya by Hon Ephraim Aluebhose and his gang of thugs as the height of irresponsibility.
There is the urgency for all well-meaning Nigerians to not only condemn this travesty, but all assault on the right to freedom of expression and of the media.
The attack on leftist Aimuaemwosa Igbinobhaya of the Naija Watch Media, constitutes a grave assault on the right to press freedom guaranteed by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, especially in a democratic era, which is operational in Nigeria.
As a responsible political party, (APC), we wish to use this medium to sue for justice for leftist Aimuaemwosa Igbinobhaya, and demands that, the Edo state Commissioner of Police and the Nigerian Police Force ensures that, the perpetrators of the dastardly and barbaric act are made to face the consequences of their actions, within the ambit of the operational relevant laws in our nation.
Signed
*Godswill Inegbe*
Media Aide to the
APC State Vice Chairman
*(Edo Central).*