The presidency on Tuesday said it was sheer mischief, to attribute the unfortunate expulsion of the Punch reporter Mr. Lekan Adetayo from the Villa to the person of President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement replying the Guardian Newspaper’s headline report titled “Memories of Decree 4”, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said it was wrong and improper to use the isolated incident to judge the character of the President as if he was responsible for what happened.
Shehu said the President has not and would never approve the oppression and humiliation of any journalist in the course of carrying out their legitimate duties.
He said the Guardian was behaving like someone waiting eagerly to attack the President at the slightest opportunity in order to portray the incident as evidence of his alleged dislike of the media.
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He added that despite the President dissociating himself from the unfortunate incident and the affected journalist being recalled, the Guardian still chose to go for the President’s jugular, holding him personally responsible for an action he knew nothing about.
Mallam Shehu opined out that such headline was misleading and mischievous because it was seeking to portray the President personally in bad light, with the sinister purpose of making him look like an enemy of the media.
He noted that since Buhari was sworn into office, he has not oppressed any media house or journalist on account of writing unfavourable reports about him or his government.
He reiterated the President’s respect for the freedom of the press and his commitment to protect their liberties at all times.
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