By Adetunji Ayobrown
Fake statement tends to become real when it is said unchallenged, bought and sold many times. With no verified source, fake is fake, fake news is not only not detailed but also not entertaining. The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, will never stop to amuse Nigerians. When the direct beneficiaries of maladministration of his boss, the citizens, are clamouring for what is rightful theirs, he instead thought it as smear.
The insinuations as presidency raises alarm over smear campaign against Buhari, says intent of sponsors is to escalate ethnic/religious disharmony in the country.
Though claimed they are of ‘especially online media’, the masterminds of the alleged smear campaign lined up media outfits for this special project. Interestingly interesting, how much and who awarded such projects with other necessary details, many meaningful Nigerians including yours ‘liberal minded’ myself want to know. Else and if not properly and openly proven, it is a fake news.
Except it is backed by verifiable evidences, believing in such when he is yet to or is unable to name the media outfits will be counted as baseless insinuation of a bewildered overfed presidential aide which must be probed because such fake news is capable of truncating democracy. Except they want us to consider the presidency among those as spreading fake news and its attracts appropriate sanctions.
Adesina said the masterminds have also failed to support any of their claims with verifiable facts neither did he mention verifiable facts of his own.
With verifiable facts and figures on record never shown any, contrary this that’…nepotistic leader who has continued to use his office to give undue advantage to people of his ethnic kind.
Presidency alleged a fresh plot aimed at smearing President Muhammadu Buhari, is saying the obvious, ask any Nigerian anywhere from north to south, west to the east. Perhaps, you will know for better understanding what Nigerians are going through daily without getting respites. But since it’s the presidential style, many are quick to understand his and the boss’ mind frames. He dared not name the media outfits. The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the masterminds of the alleged smear campaign have lined up media outfits, especially online media, for the project with none of his allege names yet in print.
Adesina, who faulted the alleged masterminds failed to support any of the claims with verifiable facts too and failed also to show Nigerians how Buhari’s already dented name was been slurred or smear.
But again, perhaps he forgot that his job is to show Nigerians otherwise if what is being alleged is false instead of telling us cock and bull’ stories without any cogent or concrete evidence to authenticate his mere allegations.
Perhaps, FG thinks there is a compelling reason to alert the nation of another orchestrated smear campaign against Buhari, but instead of the government worrying itself about urgent national issues, or deliberate on those facts raised, it should consider as challenge the poverty and insecurity in the land with huge debt profile of the administration.
The Government’s sleepless nights over unseen online newspapers and blogs seem like joblessness on the part of Adeshina and his office. Nigeria’s insecurity worry should be bigger than any unnamed online newspapers and blogs, and really, that is an advice to the FG and it’s overzealous aides.
All thanks, Nigerians are awaiting such development. According to him, the campaign scheduled to be launched anytime soon through editorials and purported special investigative stories, he thinks are designed to further exacerbate tension in the land. How investigative stories will smear his boss, reporting falsehood against the president in daylight, we all want to see how.
Unnecessary personality campaign or what else? Acting as if Buhari wants to re-contest for another term in office, surprisingly more than ever before. What the FG need now is more than those petty worries. Portrait of the Buhari as pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies, contrary to his pledge to belong to all Nigerians, seems to be a bewilderment to the presidency too. Everyone can note this from Adeshina’s tone.
Fact checked, impeccable security findings not only indicated but also showed in details where and what went wrong.
Such heavy allegation against the media should not be trivialised. How Adeshina came about the alleged subjugation and suppression of a particular religion and ethnic group by some sections of the media needs to be properly investigated by Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Press Council and all other relevant authorities should act on case like this. Else it should be considered as a fake news.
He should show and reveal to the entire world those behind the plot. Those he knew to have procured online blogs and newspapers launch, coordinated publications against his principal.
Campaign of calumny against the pen profession is against free speech, why is Buhari afraid of the media. Such biased statement is capable of causing unnecessary religious and ethnic tension in an already polarised nation such as ours. And if not properly investigated and appropriately sanctioned, aides may not learn the proper ethics of their offices.
Such office like that of Adeshina should never be seen as one sided in national issues even in tensed situations like this. Even if such is discovered as alleged by him, his job is to orchestrate media parley.
According to him, “a specific medium has so far contacted some opinion leaders, especially those very critical of President Buhari”, whether what is been raised is the truth or not never bothered him or his principal.
It’s better if he does not go there again, his referenced of a particular publication which refers Nigerians to a 58-page document that chronicles the purported atrocities of the ethnic group in the South since 2017, all of which he claimed the Presidency has turned blind eyes to’ he need not talk about so as not to offend the Buhari’s administration sound insulting and genocidal coverups in tones against all affected regions.
As if such office of the president is not for the whole and entire federation called Nigeria. But when the president has continually used the powers of his office to shield and protect a particular ethnic group against crimes that include murder, kidnappings, rape and banditry in the southern, middle belt and some northern states are too glaring to be ignored.
“…the hatchet job will allege that the President has continued to place members of his ethnic group in sensitive positions, so as to confer undue advantage on them’. Alleging such by presidential spokesman is huge; that many have the full identity of authors and sources of such publications’ with that facts and figures is not trivial.
Nigerians are not fools. Events in real life, seen in videos and pictures are too despicable for anyone to be proud of.
The presidency’s allegation is also not in any way supported with any reasonable facts or figure, and if such was from other sources, who knows what would have been presidency’s reaction.
That particular planned publication meant to make unwary readers believe that the President has continually used the powers of his office to shield and protect’, the presidency must show us at least a hard copy. Because not only Nigerians, but the international community are waiting to confirm if such weighty allegation can come from the highest seat can be false.
*Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via [email protected]
