The Major General Title!
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Toyin Falola
Dec 11, 2019, 1:37:15 PM12/11/19
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PUNCH AND ITS SINISTER MOTIVES FOR ATTACKS ON PRESIDENT BUHARI
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.
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.
To quote him, “rather than being pejorative, addressing President Buhari by his military rank is another testimony to free speech and freedom of the press, which this administration (or regime, if anyone prefers: it is a matter of semantics) has pledged to uphold and preserve.”
In countries around the world where this right does not exist, newspapers do not publish articles such as the one Punch did today; nor do they get to express political opinions contrary to that of government.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.
We welcome your contribution to the debate. But we ask you not to throw insults at the good voters of Nigeria for not agreeing to your choice at the last election.
Oppose in good humour: for that is the mark of the true democrat – that which you purport to be.
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.
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.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
December 12, 2019
Sent from my iPhone
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.
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.
To quote him, “rather than being pejorative, addressing President Buhari by his military rank is another testimony to free speech and freedom of the press, which this administration (or regime, if anyone prefers: it is a matter of semantics) has pledged to uphold and preserve.”
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.
We welcome your contribution to the debate. But we ask you not to throw insults at the good voters of Nigeria for not agreeing to your choice at the last election.
Oppose in good humour: for that is the mark of the true democrat – that which you purport to be.
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.
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.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
December 12, 2019
Sent from my iPhone
Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju
Dec 11, 2019, 3:29:01 PM12/11/19
to usaafricadialogue
did Sowore call for an armed overthrow of govt as the President's spokesman claims?
did Sowore express an aspiration do what Buhari did to Shagari's democratically elected govt by overthrowing the govt through a coup using his resources as an army officer?
does Sowore have such resources?
if not, and if Sowore never made such a pronouncement, why is the spokesman claiming he did?
some people thought their free wielding of weapons of repression-army, police, Fulani herdsmen terrorists bathing in the blood of Nigerians, keeping the country on stranglehold through a Fulani herdsmen kidnap army- meant they had locked the country down, but the words of one unarmed man with unarmed followers has made them desperate.
nothing can stop an idea whose time has come.
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Cornelius Hamelberg
Dec 13, 2019, 6:23:10 AM12/13/19
to USA Africa Dialogue Series
"Did Sowore call for an armed overthrow of govt as the President's spokesman claims? asks Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju.
If he did and meant it, then it's a bad idea, and even its time hasn't come, this bad idea doesn't have to be terminated by the death penalty.
It's the idea itself that will be put on trial. How does Sowore intend to define, maybe refine, explain and maybe defend such an idea?
I asked the same question here, on facebook :
"Excuse me, but aren’t the details a little scanty? Could Sowore have been using the expression "Revolution" loosely, only speaking generally - such as Revolution according to John Lennon or Bob Marley or did Sowore give some specifics such as an intention for armed confrontation/ armed struggle /insurrection/ guerrilla warfare, to wage war against the democratically elected government of Nigeria with he himself Sowore as the military or ideological commander-in-chief of his Revolution Now movement with the express intention of challenging the awesome Nigerian military in another civil war? Is that what he meant and did he say so explicitly? Would he say that kind of thing in the equally democratic United States of America where he is said to be registered?
Well, revolution is not an armchair matter or a bed of roses, just as Fidel said: t.ly/NNGOP
Well, revolution is not an armchair matter or a bed of roses, just as Fidel said: t.ly/NNGOP
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