http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial-opinion/columnist/200026-ogbodo-the-lying-photo-from-lai-mohammed

IF I were the All Progressives Congress (APC), I would not lie about the health of General Muhammadu Buhari. If the man is actually ill and has gone abroad to seek medical attention, the party, through its national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed, or any other spokesman, should simply say so, and not lie about it. To posture and make it seem as if Buhari cannot fall ill because there is a presidential election to contest and win is to make the man appear superhuman.


There was apparent desperation to create a scenario that never existed regarding Buhari’s visit to the United Kingdom. And this was where the publicity machinery of the APC got it all wrong. Dummies were sold to newspapers as photos of Buhari in London. One showed him with former British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and former governor of Kwara State, now a senator, Bukola Saraki. That was confirmed real by some people. But another captioned: Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (right) with the Chief Executive Officer, All Eyes TV Show, Kemi Fadojutimi (left), during Buhari’s working visit to United Kingdom also came.

Coming from Mallam Shehu Garba, media director of the Buhari Campaign Organisation and a fine professional and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the national publicity secretary of the APC, I did not probe to uncover any hidden motives. And I am sure most editors did not, which was why either of the photos made prime news pages last Sunday. When my Executive Director, Mr. Toke Ibru, first mentioned it that I had put a fake photo on the front page, I urged caution so that we did not hastily contradict ourselves on the right point.

But before the end of day, my phone had been inundated with messages from readers, analysing the graphics of the photo and saying why the shot was taken at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, and not a location in the UK as claimed in the photo caption. I tried to piece together the puzzle, but nothing was adding up to anything meaningful. I mean, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Mallam Sehu Garba and then fake photographs of General Buhari in London coming from both of them. What could be the purpose behind that piece of propaganda? To prove that they could do better than a Joseph Goebbels in the art of misinformation when there was no Second World War to prosecute and win?

Governor Fayose did something far more comprehensive and after watching him debunk the controversial photo with striking facts, I was convinced that I had been used to push forth a lie to Nigerians. I was conned by the APC to put it lightly. I called Shehu Garba to reconfirm the photos. He did, dismissing the people raising issues, and I guess that should include my Executive Director, as Buhari detractors. We went ahead to correct the error in our Monday, February 23 edition, in spite of Mr. Garba and the APC. He has not called me to straighten issues one way or the other.

I cannot understand the point the APC media machinery was trying to make. Till date, nobody has explained anything to whatever effect. At least, let something, just anything, no matter how improbable, be said. For instance, something like the devil or more precisely the PDP, had hacked into the APC’s works to send the lying photograph to media houses to cause the recalcitrant APC this huge corporate embarrassment. They just kept quiet as if nothing was amiss. In their deafening silence, they seem to be saying ‘we are APC; we equate truth and positive change and nothing false comes from us.’ Or could the aloofness and lack of remorse, even when guilt is established, be flowing from the APC’s belief that it has converted all newspapers in the country to its official newsletters, where anything can be off-loaded and no questions will be asked?

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Ever before Ayo Fayose left for Hilton Abuja to conduct a ‘forensic’ investigation of the photograph of Buhari’s media interview in London, Pat Enechukwu, who follows this column every Sunday, had done his and sent to me his findings: “My brother good afternoon. Please look at that front page photograph of Buhari critically and watch issues I am raising.

That bottled water on the table (Aquafina) is a Nigerian product. The newspapers are Nigerian papers with the one on top looking like The Guardian and I mean our own The Guardian and not London Guardian that I have bought and read severally in London. The magazine on top is DSTV Magazine. What’s DSTV in London and who uses DSTV in London?” -

BUHARI IS RECEIVING TREATMENT

Whichever, I am still not able to figure out what the APC was trying to hide. That Buhari wasn’t in London for medical checks? And if I may ask, what is wrong if Buhari falls ill and goes to London to seek medical attention? People far less than him in status do so even more frequently.

This man we are talking about was a head of state 30 years ago. In case we are confusing issues, let me state clearly that in Nigeria, no former director in the civil service, not to talk of permanent secretary, state commissioner, state and national legislator, minister and governor treats even malaria at home. I mean malaria, which is strictly a tropical disease that does not attract good medical space in the operations of hospitals in Europe and America. They go abroad, even to India, to be given the same anti-malaria combination drugs that are readily available and more effective in Nigeria. -

Sharap, we all know u guys re looking for headlines for ur newspaper. In develop societies u ll be sued for unprofessionalism.

How can u just publish pix without verification?

Medicine after death! Dey far too unprofessional.

Objectivity and non-commital to amy side;is a criterion in good journalism!
The remorse now;does that change the fact that One had imagine the Gaurdian paper works for APC?
Abi APC contract has expired?

A prayer for Buhari supporters: May you clock 73
years before you actualize your dreams. There's no
need to say Amen, it's sealed in heaven already. They
called us leaders of tomorrow and here we are; a 73-
year old man still dragging the future with us.

Ogbodo is a columnist not the editor. Olodo. By the way buhari is hale and hearty, I saw him with korokoro eyes in london.

this is old story I beg.

move on already.

GMB 2015

APC WITCHCRAFT BROOM CARRYING PARTY

APC CAUSING FUEL SCARCITY LIKE THIER MAYHEM.
The Schizophrenic demented sick Pa Buhari is a terrorist, deranged old brainless super clueless bastard
Apc is boko haram
Thiefnu.bu is a pedophile drug dealer and a cocain sniffer property seized in the usa for his drug deals.

Buhari can only be president in sambisa and shekau would hand over to him with his forged result. 

Osinbajo is fake and a loafer

Amechi and Fashola are errand boys

Ambode new recruit errand boy

Y must u go after buhari here and there is buhari d only news u av in ur life abi now I knw y my dad buy punch news paper nd never buy vanguard haba missing politics with profession can also b counterproductive now I knw

Hmmmmmm....so many issues still to come on the London trip. We wish him good health. God bless President GEJ.




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I wonder why this news did not make front page? Is the blog partisan?

It is called bravado from the APC ... They know Nigerians are gullible.

http://lindaikeji..com/2015/03/buharis-alleged-fake-pic-fayose-hails.html

"Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has commended The Guardian newspapers for apologising to its readers over the false picture of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) interview published in the Sunday, February 22, 2015 edition of the newspaper.

Governor Fayose, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said he was happy that Guardian newspapers demonstrated that it was a media organisation to be reckoned with by apologising and writing a detailed editorial on the false picture.