The
Action Congress of Nigeria on Thursday warned the Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, not to use foul language on
critics of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Action Congress of Nigeria on Thursday warned the Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, not to use foul language on
critics of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The ACN
said such “crude verbal attacks” might boomerang on the Presidency if left
unchecked.
said such “crude verbal attacks” might boomerang on the Presidency if left
unchecked.
In a
statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party
said there was a difference between a vicious verbal attack and a robust
response to critics of the administration.
statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party
said there was a difference between a vicious verbal attack and a robust
response to critics of the administration.
The ACN
said, “Contrary to what Abati may think, ‘attack’ and ‘criticism’ are not
synonymous. An effective presidential spokesman is not the one who employs
gutter language to respond to critics of his principal, or one, who makes more
enemies than friends for his boss, but one who is able to convey the activities
and achievements of the President to the citizenry with dignified language.
said, “Contrary to what Abati may think, ‘attack’ and ‘criticism’ are not
synonymous. An effective presidential spokesman is not the one who employs
gutter language to respond to critics of his principal, or one, who makes more
enemies than friends for his boss, but one who is able to convey the activities
and achievements of the President to the citizenry with dignified language.
“By
virtue of what is believed to be his sound education, professional training and
exposure, Abati should be well placed to know how to tell a man to go to hell
and the man will still be smiling!
virtue of what is believed to be his sound education, professional training and
exposure, Abati should be well placed to know how to tell a man to go to hell
and the man will still be smiling!
“To be
sure, the use of dignified language by a presidential spokesman is important
because whatever he says is believed to have emanated from his principal.
sure, the use of dignified language by a presidential spokesman is important
because whatever he says is believed to have emanated from his principal.
“It is
therefore unimaginable that President Goodluck Jonathan will resort to the use of the kind of language
that has been spewing out of the mouth of his spokesman in recent times.
therefore unimaginable that President Goodluck Jonathan will resort to the use of the kind of language
that has been spewing out of the mouth of his spokesman in recent times.
“To the
best of our knowledge, no presidential spokesman in Nigeria’s history has
employed such base language in defence of his principal.”
best of our knowledge, no presidential spokesman in Nigeria’s history has
employed such base language in defence of his principal.”
The
party noted that using foul language to describe the critics of the President
was “rude, crude, uncouth, unconscionable and uncalled for.”
party noted that using foul language to describe the critics of the President
was “rude, crude, uncouth, unconscionable and uncalled for.”
The ACN
added, “Dr. Abati, while you are free to exhibit your bombastic prowess, the
rarefied realm of the Presidency is not the ideal place for that, because when
those who are being assaulted with such words respond in kind, it debases the
Presidency and ultimately hurts the occupier of the office. In a truly global
world, such unrestrained response to critics of the presidency also hurts not
just the President but the image of the entire country.
added, “Dr. Abati, while you are free to exhibit your bombastic prowess, the
rarefied realm of the Presidency is not the ideal place for that, because when
those who are being assaulted with such words respond in kind, it debases the
Presidency and ultimately hurts the occupier of the office. In a truly global
world, such unrestrained response to critics of the presidency also hurts not
just the President but the image of the entire country.
“Even
if some critics use words that Abati finds annoying and insulting or engage in
criticism that he deems unfair, it is still incumbent on him to avoid
responding in kind, simply because he is not speaking for himself but for an
institution. It is therefore not enough defence for him to say that he is
responding in kind to critics of his boss.
if some critics use words that Abati finds annoying and insulting or engage in
criticism that he deems unfair, it is still incumbent on him to avoid
responding in kind, simply because he is not speaking for himself but for an
institution. It is therefore not enough defence for him to say that he is
responding in kind to critics of his boss.
“May we
also remind the presidential spokesman that there will be life after that
office, and that he should remember that in an era where the power of the
written word has assumed more potency for various reasons, it is important to
be more circumspect in tongue-lashing critics of the President.
also remind the presidential spokesman that there will be life after that
office, and that he should remember that in an era where the power of the
written word has assumed more potency for various reasons, it is important to
be more circumspect in tongue-lashing critics of the President.
“We
will like to advise and encourage the presidential spokesman to learn to use
facts and figures to counter whatever he considers an unfavourable criticism of
his principal, instead of subsuming such under verbal pugilistic.”
will like to advise and encourage the presidential spokesman to learn to use
facts and figures to counter whatever he considers an unfavourable criticism of
his principal, instead of subsuming such under verbal pugilistic.”
Source: Punch
