The Presidency has said that Punch Newspaper’s editorial of Wednesday
where it vowed to address President Muhammadu Buhari as a Major General
and his government as a regime, is unconstitutional.
The Presidency said it is not within the capacity of a media house to change the title of an elected president.
In a statement to DAILY POST on Wednesday, signed by Garba Shehu,
President Buhari’s Spokesman, the Presidency, however, claimed that
Punch was being partisan, adding that it “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.”
It also wondered why the newspaper did not challenge former Head of
State, General Ibrahim Babaginda when he assumed the title of President
even when he was not democratically elected.
The statement added, “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 every 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 a 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.”