Icheoku saw it coming, extensively warned against it but Nigerians were tone-deaf and now the unfolding drama of "I didn't say that" or "I didn't promise that" is flooding the media about campaign promises already retracted, as either never was said or cannot be magically wrought overnight? The latest of this 180 degree somersault is the pulling back on the promised freedom of the speech including freedom of the media to thrive under his government unencumbered. Reports reaching Icheoku has it that the minders of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has banned African International Television (AIT) from covering all functions of the president-elect going forward. Icheoku asks is this the pledge not to tamper with the media as was the case under the infamous Decree 4 or is this part of the signs of things down the pike?
Icheoku asks what did AIT do which is not done in advanced societies or has President Barack Obama of the United States of America banned Fox News from covering the White House after the lynch-mob job they tried to do on him while running for office? Ditto the other Robert Murdock owned media empire in the United Kingdom and the hatchet job they did against Prime Minister David Cameron? But the Muhammadu Buhari Icheoku knows is not capable of taking criticism and like he did as a military junta, will similarly find a way of keeping in the cold any media house that he deems unfriendly or not capturing the news through his own eyeglasses. Muhammadu Buhari is yet to be sworn in as president and he is already unleashing his fangs, then imagine the fate which awaits Nigerians' freedom post May 29th, 2015.
Icheoku says so what if AIT aired paid documentaries, which Muhammadu Buhari considers unfriendly, as any media would do once the price is right? So what use therefore is the acidity of the documentary if after the said documentary, Muhammadu Buhari still won the election? So does it not show that this president-elect is merely being vindictive under the circumstances, which shows he has a heart of sulphur and never forgives? Icheoku says a more benevolent leader would have laughed off AIT as being "ineffectively useless" because despite all their best effort, he was still elected president; instead of being this petty, descending into the sewer by seeking revenge and a pound of flesh? So if Muhammadu Buhari were the outgoing President Jonathan who the kitchen sink of criticism was thrown at by the media, may be Nigeria would have since once again become one huge gulag where every voice of decent and opposition is locked away to rot. But here you have someone who claimed to be a converted democrat yet lacks the tenets of a democrat, including tolerance for criticism and opposing viewpoints. President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, Icheoku says shame on you and greater shame for your intolerance.
It is also instructive to mention that the same president-elect have so far already recanted many of his campaign promises including his pledge to equalize the Naira to the Dollar; to stabilize world's oil market; not to probe past government as seen with the threatened probe of President Jonathan and the alleged missing $20billion NNPC oil money and now is snarling his teeth at AIT media house over some considered anti-Buhari aired documentary during a campaign that is since over and which he won? Icheoku bemoans that at the rate he is going with "I didn't say that", may be by time he is sworn in, he would have completely and totally absolved himself of any promise he made to Nigerians during his campaign, the basis of which he was elected president?
Icheoku says one thing with taking people's freedom is that it starts in increment of one, two, three and before you know it, everyone's freedom is completely muzzled and gobbled up. If it is AIT today, tomorrow it might be Icheoku and next day Nations, the day after Sahara Reporters and the day after next NTA. So Nigerians must start now to put pressure on Muhammadu Buhari that 2015 is not 1983 and Nigerians have come way too far to succumb to his blackmail of terror and intimidation. Nigerians have enjoyed relative freedom this past sixteen years of their fledgling democracy and will not now retreat to their shells just because a freedom-denying Muhammadu Buhari is elected president of Nigeria. There can be no true democracy without freedom of the media which translates to freedom of the citizens to air their views unmolested and unmuzzled and AIT is so included. Icheoku reaffirms that freedom denied to one is freedom lost to all and therefore unequivocally condemn the ban and says that the ban on AIT from covering President-elect Muhammadu Buhari must be lifted immediately and NOW. Long live freedom in Nigeria!
Buhari denies barring AIT, blames overzealous aides
ReplyDeleteApril 29, 2015
Nigeria’s president-elect Muhammadu Buhari, has instructed all his staff, including the personnel attached directly to him, to steer clear of all dealings with the media, and leave all media affairs to his official media team.
In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, April 29, by the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Buhari aligned himself with the pronouncement of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC which had earlier expressed disagreement with the temporary barring of the African Independent Television (AIT) from covering his activities.
“I would like everyone to henceforth stay within his/her defined area of responsibility,” Mr. Buhari said.
The president-elect added that his media team should be left to continue to deal with their media colleagues in the best possible way.
According to the statement, Mr. Buhari was neither consulted nor informed about the AIT barring, and only became aware of the matter after the public uproar it generated.
“The time of CHANGE has come,” he said, “and we must avoid making the same mistakes that the outgoing government made.”