The presidency has pounced on the Punch Newspapers, issuing a response
to the Newspaper over its new editorial stance against the government of
President Muhammadu Buhari.
Soon after the newspaper announced that it had taken the decision to
henceforth prefix Buhari’s name with his rank as a military dictator in
the 80s, Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and
publicity, said the action is a proof of press freedom in the country.
However, hours after Adesina responded to PUNCH, Garba Shehu, senior
special assistant to the president on media and publicity, issued
another statement where he accused the newspaper of bias.
He wondered why the newspaper did not call former President Olusegun
Obasanjo a general when he led the country between 1999 and 2007.
Buhari and Obasanjo are the only men who have ruled Nigeria as military
heads of state and civilian presidents.
“The reported new editorial policy of the Punch Newspapers to address
President Muhammadu Buhari as Major General in his official title and
refer to his government as a regime instead of administration, comes to
us as totally curious and utterly incredible,” Shehu said.
“The paper claimed that it is changing President Buhari’s official title
to General because of his government’s alleged disregard for the rule of
law.
“Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for that is his title, and he was
indeed a Major General, but today retired from that position and now
twice democratically elected president of Nigeria – is not the choice of
Punch Newspaper’s editors and owners, that is clear.
“He is, however, the two-time electoral choice of the voters of Nigeria,
those very people who Punch Newspapers described this morning as
“lethargic”: a disdaining epithet apportioned to decent, hard-working,
everyday Nigerians for not agreeing with, and for not having voted in
line with their publication’s editorial and political opinions.
“Punch’s editorial today is, however, entirely in line with holding and
exercising the right of free speech and freedom of the press, as my
friend and colleague, Femi Adesina said earlier today.
“Femi, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity said the fact the Punch can
insult the President in a front page editorial and they go home to
sleep, peacefully, is the best testimony to the prevalence of the
freedom of the press and of expression in the country.
“In countries around the world where this right does not exist,
newspapers do not publish articles such as the one Punch did today; nor
do they get to express political opinions contrary to that of
government. The exact freedoms Punch claims are missing are self-evident
here – in print, on the internet – for all Nigerians and the whole world
to see.
“There is nothing wrong with expressing contrary opinions to this
government – nor being in opposition to the president: this is the right
of very Nigerian.
“However, calling for the armed overthrow of the democratically elected
administration is a different matter entirely: this Punch has in no way
done – but others who they seek to defend, have. There is the
difference. Punch: oppose the government as much as you want to.”
He said while the newspaper is entitled to its opinion, it has no power
to “throw insults at the good voters of Nigeria for not agreeing to your
choice at the last election”.
“It is not within the power or rights of a newspaper to unilaterally and
whimsically change the formal official title or the designation of the
country’s President as it pleases,” Shehu said.
“It is unprecedented and absurd in our recent political history. The
Punch never changed President Olusegun Obasanjo’s title from the
President to General Obasanjo, despite the latter’s refusal to comply
with Supreme Court judgment, ordering him to release N30 billion of
Lagos State local councils funds.
“When General Ibrahim Babangida who wasn’t democratically elected
assumed the title of President, why didn’t the Punch challenge him or
address him by any title it so desired?
“In fact, IBB closed media houses for several months and years,
including Punch. But the paper didn’t stop addressing him as President,
despite the fact that he wasn’t elected. It is obvious that the Punch
newspapers are playing partisan opposition politics which has nothing to
do with journalism.
“The Constitution of Nigeria recognises the President as the formal
official title of the occupant of that office. Can the Punch newspapers,
in their hubris address the President as Prime Minister as it pleases?
“Is it within the paper’s responsibility or power to change the official
title of the man who occupies the office of the President? Does that
mean any newspaper is free to address the Comptroller General of Customs
a Colonel rather than his official title?
“The Punch newspaper should separate journalism from partisan politics.
What it is embarking upon is purely political and it is designed to play
to the gallery and cause confusion.
“Punch Newspaper’s double standards in cuddling some of our past
dictators and their open contempt for President Buhari clearly show that
the paper has sinister motives for its current curious editorial
judgment. Its personal hatred for and animus towards President Buhari
should not be allowed to becloud its good judgment.”