The presidency has pounced on the Punch Newspapers, issuing a response
\nto the Newspaper over its new editorial stance against the government of
\nPresident Muhammadu Buhari.<\/p>\n
Soon after the newspaper announced that it had taken the decision to
\nhenceforth prefix Buhari\u2019s name with his rank as a military dictator in
\nthe 80s, Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and
\npublicity, said the action is a proof of press freedom in the country.<\/p>\n
However, hours after Adesina responded to PUNCH, Garba Shehu, senior
\nspecial assistant to the president on media and publicity, issued
\nanother statement where he accused the newspaper of bias.<\/p>\n
He wondered why the newspaper did not call former President Olusegun
\nObasanjo a general when he led the country between 1999 and 2007.<\/p>\n
Buhari and Obasanjo are the only men who have ruled Nigeria as military
\nheads of state and civilian presidents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reported new editorial policy of the Punch Newspapers to address
\nPresident Muhammadu Buhari as Major General in his official title and
\nrefer to his government as a regime instead of administration, comes to
\nus as totally curious and utterly incredible,\u201d Shehu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe paper claimed that it is changing President Buhari\u2019s official title
\nto General because of his government\u2019s alleged disregard for the rule of
\nlaw.<\/p>\n
\u201cMajor General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for that is his title, and he was
\nindeed a Major General, but today retired from that position and now
\ntwice democratically elected president of Nigeria \u2013 is not the choice of
\nPunch Newspaper\u2019s editors and owners, that is clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is, however, the two-time electoral choice of the voters of Nigeria,
\nthose very people who Punch Newspapers described this morning as
\n\u201clethargic\u201d: a disdaining epithet apportioned to decent, hard-working,
\neveryday Nigerians for not agreeing with, and for not having voted in
\nline with their publication\u2019s editorial and political opinions.<\/p>\n
\u201cPunch\u2019s editorial today is, however, entirely in line with holding and
\nexercising the right of free speech and freedom of the press, as my
\nfriend and colleague, Femi Adesina said earlier today.<\/p>\n
\u201cFemi, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity said the fact the Punch can
\ninsult the President in a front page editorial and they go home to
\nsleep, peacefully, is the best testimony to the prevalence of the
\nfreedom of the press and of expression in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn countries around the world where this right does not exist,
\nnewspapers do not publish articles such as the one Punch did today; nor
\ndo they get to express political opinions contrary to that of
\ngovernment. The exact freedoms Punch claims are missing are self-evident
\nhere \u2013 in print, on the internet \u2013 for all Nigerians and the whole world
\nto see.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing wrong with expressing contrary opinions to this
\ngovernment \u2013 nor being in opposition to the president: this is the right
\nof very Nigerian.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, calling for the armed overthrow of the democratically elected
\nadministration is a different matter entirely: this Punch has in no way
\ndone \u2013 but others who they seek to defend, have. There is the
\ndifference. Punch: oppose the government as much as you want to.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said while the newspaper is entitled to its opinion, it has no power
\nto \u201cthrow insults at the good voters of Nigeria for not agreeing to your
\nchoice at the last election\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is not within the power or rights of a newspaper to unilaterally and
\nwhimsically change the formal official title or the designation of the
\ncountry\u2019s President as it pleases,\u201d Shehu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is unprecedented and absurd in our recent political history. The
\nPunch never changed President Olusegun Obasanjo\u2019s title from the
\nPresident to General Obasanjo, despite the latter\u2019s refusal to comply
\nwith Supreme Court judgment, ordering him to release N30 billion of
\nLagos State local councils funds.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen General Ibrahim Babangida who wasn\u2019t democratically elected
\nassumed the title of President, why didn\u2019t the Punch challenge him or
\naddress him by any title it so desired?<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, IBB closed media houses for several months and years,
\nincluding Punch. But the paper didn\u2019t stop addressing him as President,
\ndespite the fact that he wasn\u2019t elected. It is obvious that the Punch
\nnewspapers are playing partisan opposition politics which has nothing to
\ndo with journalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Constitution of Nigeria recognises the President as the formal
\nofficial title of the occupant of that office. Can the Punch newspapers,
\nin their hubris address the President as Prime Minister as it pleases?<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it within the paper\u2019s responsibility or power to change the official
\ntitle of the man who occupies the office of the President? Does that
\nmean any newspaper is free to address the Comptroller General of Customs
\na Colonel rather than his official title?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Punch newspaper should separate journalism from partisan politics.
\nWhat it is embarking upon is purely political and it is designed to play
\nto the gallery and cause confusion.<\/p>\n
\u201cPunch Newspaper\u2019s double standards in cuddling some of our past
\ndictators and their open contempt for President Buhari clearly show that
\nthe paper has sinister motives for its current curious editorial
\njudgment. Its personal hatred for and animus towards President Buhari
\nshould not be allowed to becloud its good judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n