By METROWATCH Reporter
President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to free press and will ensure zero-tolerance policy towards media repression and institutional arrogance in government communications, the presidency has said.
The newly appointed Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to Ajuri Ngelale, stated this
In his first interaction with the State House Press Corps.
Ngelale assured that the administration seeks to promote transparency, hold public office holders accountable, and open up the presidency to the public.
He emphasised that his responsibility is to serve the over 200 million citizens of Nigeria, and not any particular political party or public officials.
The Presidential media aide stated the administration’s dedication to providing Nigerians with full access to the affairs of the Presidential villa and the offices of the President and Vice President through various media channels, including radio networks, television networks, newspapers, and online news sources.
Ngelale explicitly declared that gone are the days of condescending language and institutional arrogance towards Nigerians from government spokespersons.
He emphasided President Tinubu’s empathy and commitment to opening up the presidency to Nigerians for the benefit of all public office holders.
Ngelale disclosed that he had contacted and engaged with past media spokespersons, such as Dr. Reuben Abati, Mr. Femi Adesina, and Mr. Segun Adeniyi, highlighting their collective love for the country.
He expressed his intention to rely on institutional memory and engage with these individuals to ensure that the Nigerian media has its rightful place in the affairs of government, delivering accurate and factual information to the Nigerian public.
Ngelale concluded by expressing his gratitude and indicated that the administration is preparing to announce tangible measures to deepen the opening up of the presidency to the public on a daily basis, surpassing previous levels of transparency and openness.
Ngelari said: “I humbly accepted the appointment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to serve as his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and as the official spokesperson of the President.
“I believe the first and most important point I would want to make is that this institution belongs to Nigerians. It does not belong to any political parties, it does not belong to any public officials. It belongs to over 200 million citizens of this country both at home and abroad. And it is with that understanding that we will be engaging the world.
“We believe it is the right, not a privilege but the right of every Nigerian to have full access into the affairs of the Presidential Villa, into the affairs of the office of the President and the office of the Vice president.
“We will be more open in terms of providing access to information to radio networks, television networks, newspapers and online news media than ever before. We are committed to ensuring that there is a zero tolerance policy on every spokesperson and every media functionary that works here in the government in terms of how we relate with Nigerians through the press.
“Gone forever, by the grace of God, are the days when government spokesmen and women will speak down to Nigerians or would use condescending language on Nigerians and would display some form of institutional arrogance on Nigerians. That would not happen under my leadership.
“I want to be very clear, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man of empathy. He is committed to the cause of opening the Presidency to Nigerians for the benefit of not just Nigerians but for the benefit of all public office holders, because it in the interest of all public office holders to know that they are being watched so that they can be held accountable to deliver on the promises of the President in terms of the execution of government policies and we are going to, in very shortly order, announced a series of very tangible measures that have to do with the opening up of this institution on a daily basis in a deeper and more comprehensive way than has ever been seen before.
“The last point I want to make is that I have had the privilege of speaking with my predecessors. I believe in institutional memory, I believe in the importance of relying on the wisdom of those who have come before us. I have spoken with Dr Reuben Abati, I have spoken with Mr. Femi Adesina, I have spoken with Mr. Segun Adeniyi. And I will continue to deepen those engagements. And irrespective of political affiliations, all of us love this country. And we’re going to do our beats to ensure that the Nigerian media feels that it has its rightful place in the affairs of government in the affairs of public life and that institutions are open for them to deliver right, accurate and factual information to Nigerians.“
