Early this week,overzealous aides of GMB, barred AIT from covering an engagement of the General, citing family and security concerns.
Expectedly, the action of the aides generated heated debate,with some in support of d barring while many others,even supporters of d general felt it was ill conceived, despite the almost universal acclaim that the documentary, which was the basis of the temporary ban,was factually incorrect, distasteful and hate filled.
Wisely, less than a day after,the APC, overturned the barring and gave AIT the all clear to cover the president-elect,despite the noted concerns.
Despite that,and inspite of his not being aware of the action of his aides,the general still found it expedient to issue an official statement distancing himself from the ban,admonishing all to "stay within the confines of their assigned roles.... to leave his media aides to deal with their media colleagues".
This statement by the general is perhaps the first official endorsement that the press has the freedom and duty to carry out their duties,wherever they deem fit.
The importance of d release is that it would give all pressmen that added cover to cover events in hitherto restricted and no-go zones like the military,police duties, coverage of government officials, both the low and high placed etc.Any restriction in the duty of the press can easily be overcome by citing the statement by the soon to be president.
The official statement by the president elect will soon prove monumental and a game changer in press freedom and coverage in Nigeria.
I maybe wrong,but I don't remember any other president,coming out to officially guarantee the press in Nigeria their right to carry out their duties,despite the avowed freedom of speech guaranteed in the constitution.

Hmmmm! Now, its no holds barred for the press. Where a military personnel can not tread, the press man will

Good one Baba

The FOI bill already granted that permission to the press so don't make it look like the statement by buhari was a landslide achievement of any sort.
Now that buhari has distanced himself from the actions of his aids as I expected him to, where are the blind supporters who feel 'Napoleon is always right'? I believe elections are over and we should leave the partisan thing alone rather than taking sides or else the reality will soon dawn on us.

Basildvalour:
Hmmmm! Now, its no holds barred for the press. Where a military personnel can not tread, the press man will

Good one Baba

I tell you.Despite the initial bad press it tended to give him through no fault of his,many have not really sat down to evaluate how monumental and historic his official rebuttal and acknowledgement of the freedom of the press is.

nortcentrallord:
The FOI bill already granted that permission to the press so don't make it look like the statement by buhari was a landslide achievement of any sort.

Yes I noted same.But how far has that freedom really taken the press and other individuals that applied to get official documents,talkless of a journalist pushing a camera or a microphone in your face.
Am not trying to overblow anything,but u can agree with me that if a president can allow free,unlimited coverage,it would take a brave govt official or public servant to prevent same.That's my point.
Its not enough to cite the FOI when d same officials can easily block u or tell their aides or police officials to bundle you out of their offices.

cyprus000:

Noted!

Inconsequential thread
Goodluck ursherd in d new dawn for press
So his official statement meant to quickly dissociated himself after testing d water and realised it was shallow has done nothing but to give him a benefit of doubt(which u don't need during gej administration) concerning his relationship with media

ManUtdholic:
Inconsequential thread
Goodluck ursherd in d new dawn for press
So his official statement meant to quickly dissociated himself after testing d water and realised it was shallow has done nothing but to give him a benefit of doubt(which u don't need during gej administration) concerning his relationship with media

The gej govt had its moments acting like a dictatorship

http://www.punchng.com/news/police-detain-leadership-journalists/

Let's not become too hypocritical here

nortcentrallord:
The FOI bill already granted that permission to the press so don't make it look like the statement by buhari was a landslide achievement of any sort.
Now that buhari has distanced himself from the actions of his aids as I expected him to, where are the blind supporters who feel 'Napoleon is always right'? I believe elections are over and we should leave the partisan thing alone rather than taking sides or else the reality will soon dawn on us.

See the FOI govt police doing their bit of 'Napoleon is always right'

http://www.punchng.com/news/police-detain-leadership-journalists/

Overzealousness can creep into subordinates a times. Cut GMB some slack. The guy has dropped his khaki uniform and military swagger stick. Let him be

theV0ice:


See the FOI govt police doing their bit of 'Napoleon is always right'

http://www.punchng.com/news/police-detain-leadership-journalists/

Overzealousness can creep into subordinates a times. Cut GMB some slack. The guy has dropped his khaki uniform and military swagger stick. Let him be

Not to forget during GEJ's time several newspapers were physically confiscated and recently 2 aljazeera journalists were detained for days in Borno state,without even an apology from d military high command, talk less d CinC.
This is not a GEJ bashing thread,neither is it a praise thread for GMB,its just that I have not heard of any president,eventhough still president elect, having come out to literary endorse d right of journalists,despite some misgivings, to do their work,no matter where.
As I said I maybe mistaken in my assertion.

doctokwus:

Not to forget during GEJ's time several newspapers were physically confiscated and recently 2 aljazeera journalists were detained for days in Borno state,without even an apology from d military high command, talk less d CinC.
This is not a GEJ bashing thread,neither is it a praise thread for GMB,its just that I have not heard of any president,eventhough still president elect, having come out to literary endorse d right of journalists,despite some misgivings, to do their work,no matter where.
As I said I maybe mistaken in my assertion.

I understand bro. Don't mind the revisionists.

I just wanted things put in proper perspective before haters of GMB will write God to throw him in hell while GEJ gets bequeathed with a sainthood. We are still grappling with their delusions of a 'Nobel piss price' for him because he was forced to concede electoral defeat

Who knows what else they'll come up with?

theV0ice:


Nobel piss price' for him because he was forced to concede electoral defeat

Who knows what else they'll come up with?

Please don't get me started on that or I may end up derailing my own thread!
If the Nobel peace prize will get him out of our public space for ever,let him have it.
Adams Oshiomole once said sth I would always remember:"If a man says he is king,call him king, when he dies,we would know who he is".

chai,,nna i will not go bck to skull again oo,,this post and coments jst lectured me in english401,,,,gerrawt

And the blatant lies continues.

chuna1985:
And the blatant lies continues.

Please who is lying and about what sir?

theV0ice:


See the FOI govt police doing their bit of 'Napoleon is always right'

http://www.punchng.com/news/police-detain-leadership-journalists/

Overzealousness can creep into subordinates a times. Cut GMB some slack. The guy has dropped his khaki uniform and military swagger stick. Let him be

I am well aware of that news. That was in 2013 and we all condemned that even thought is also well accepted that there are reservations to that law too. For example, matters bothering on national unity and security are off the FOI. Between 2013 and 2015, there has been a lot of transformation or gradual change as to the understanding of the FOI bill on both the side of the government and the press hence I haven't heard of such incident until recently where Ait was restricted to cover the president elect which clearly to me a direct payback to the incidents of the campaign period. I don't see anything wrong with AIT airing those documents during before the elections. As I said earlier, Ait is a media house and I expected apc to have even said they approached Ait to advertise or air some advocating documents but they refused. I never heard GEJ complaining or baring any media house. Even on social media, people call him all sorts of name not minding the Nigerian pride associated with the seat of the presidency. In a country Like Nigeria @ this stage, we need media houses like channels and we need more daring media house like Ait and sahara reports.

Buhari is clearly deceiving himself. How can his Aides make such an "over-zealous" order without his (Buhari's) permission? Why did it take public condemnation before his party reversed it? Are the Aides not the same people that will serve his government? Did he fire them or suspended them if they acted overboard?

The truth is that Buhari wanted to introduce Decree 2 through the backdoor with AIT as a test run. If he had got his way, it would have paved way for him to do worse.

The same OP and his paid crew here were justifying the action of Alhaji Buhari in tandem with their undemocratic manner. They just realised that Nigerians are resolved to resist the silly move.

Buhari can continue to lie to himself and even blame Aisha, but we won't allow him act with impunity.

I no envy Buhary. He should be prepared to tell lies per seconds after May 29th.

[s]

barcanista:
Buhari is clearly deceiving himself. How can his Aides make such an "over-zealous" order without his (Buhari's) permission? Why did it take public condemnation before his party reversed it? Are the Aides not the same people that will serve his government? Did he fire them or suspended them if they acted overboard?

The truth is that Buhari wanted to introduce Decree 2 through the backdoor with AIT as a test run. If he had got his way, it would have paved way for him to do worse.

The same OP and his paid crew here were justifying the action of Alhaji Buhari in tandem with their undemocratic manner. They just realised that Nigerians are resolved to resist the silly move.

Buhari can continue to lie to himself and even blame Aisha, but we won't allow him act with impunity.

[/s]
[size=14pt]Shut that bleep up boy [/size]

barcanista:

The truth is that Buhari wanted to introduce Decree 2 through the backdoor with AIT as a test run. If he had got his way, it would have paved way for him to do worse.

I am sure FFK gave u this info…. Unpaid poster

barcanista:


The same OP and his paid crew here were justifying the action of Alhaji Buhari in tandem with their undemocratic manner. They just realised that Nigerians are resolved to resist the silly move.

.

I take grave exceptions to the above.If u are paid for your posts and threads here,don't assume the same for others.
I don't know of others,but I take great joy in supporting GMB because I believe in him.I am not however blinded by your paid social media posts not to critic him or his policies when I don't subscribe to it,based on my own understanding and knowledge, which is far from being all knowing.
For your information,I started believing and supporting GMB as far back as 2007 when he contested against Yar'Adua and we had witnessed some of the damaging policies and miss steps of OBJ;when your type where still dreaming of bursting more pipelines in the creeks and foolishly destroying your environment,in the mistaken belief you were doing the nation more harm than to yourselves.
However,never in my wildest dreams, and I daresay, nightmare,would I have ever envisaged that the mother and grandmother of all cluelessness,mischief and daftness awaited us as we have witnessed in the past 6 years.
GMB may not be a miracle worker, but 1/10th of his actions,policies and statements,would be better than what GEJ could ever concretize, even if you put all the world's professors to surround him.He is that bad.

What is this one saying? What is new in what he did? Were you expecting him to come out and support an action he initiated and Nigerians kicked against? Or should we be happy that he came out to 'rebuke' and re-appraise the freedom of the press even when they had it before and it was strengthened through Jonathan's FOI bill?

Useless thread!

nortcentrallord:


I am well aware of that news. That was in 2013 and we all condemned that even thought is also well accepted that there are reservations to that law too. For example, matters bothering on national unity and security are off the FOI. Between 2013 and 2015, there has been a lot of transformation or gradual change as to the understanding of the FOI bill on both the side of the government and the press hence I haven't heard of such incident until recently where Ait was restricted to cover the president elect which clearly to me a direct payback to the incidents of the campaign period. I don't see anything wrong with AIT airing those documents during before the elections. As I said earlier, Ait is a media house and I expected apc to have even said they approached Ait to advertise or air some advocating documents but they refused. I never heard GEJ complaining or baring any media house. Even on social media, people call him all sorts of name not minding the Nigerian pride associated with the seat of the presidency. In a country Like Nigeria @ this stage, we need media houses like channels and we need more daring media house like Ait and sahara reports.

AIT told blatant lies against GMB, yet the good man regarded them as non existent. How can AIT air a documentary that portrays GMB as the killer of Fela's mother when every ediot in Nigeria knows the woman died in 1978? 6 years before GMB took office? How can they air a documentary insinuating that GMB killed his wife and daughter? Where is the honesty in their idiotic journalism?

Anyway, GMB didn't ask them to be barred. Overzealous aides did it and he has cleared the air. If he didn't complain during the campaigns, is it now that he has won that he'll be bothered? If they like, they can keep up with their false news, scoops and documentaries....Nigerians have options.

On your FOI issue, i keep wondering how true the gej admin is to FOI if they could keep the PWC report hidden from Nigerians including NASS for over 5 months despite all protests?

doctokwus:

Please don't get me started on that or I may end up derailing my own thread!
If the Nobel peace prize will get him out of our public space for ever,let him have it.
Adams Oshiomole once said sth I would always remember:"If a man says he is king,call him king, when he dies,we would know who he is".

I understand my bro

Barcanista you cant survive being an oppoaition for a year with the way you are doing it, tetemi1, ozogbodu et al are doing it better than you, it has turned you blind, no one stop you from being an opposituion every government need it but not the way you are doing it.


Am coming up with a counter to one thread you creat of recent.

[quote author=barcanista post=33319922]Buhari is clearly deceiving himself. How can his Aides make such an "over-zealous" order without his (Buhari's) permission? Why did it take public condemnation before his party reversed it? Are the Aides not the same people that will serve his government? Did he fire them or suspended them if they acted overboard?

The truth is that Buhari wanted to introduce Decree 2 through the backdoor with AIT as a test run. If he had got his way, it would have paved way for him to do worse.

The same OP and his paid crew here were justifying the action of Alhaji Buhari in tandem with their undemocratic manner. They just realised that Nigerians are resolved to resist the silly move.

Buhari can continue to lie to himself and even blame Aisha, but we won't allow him act with impunity.
[/quote whether u and dokpesi like it or not,ait must be sanction,whether na decree 9 he use,

zicoraads:
What is this one saying? What is new in what he did? Were you expecting him to come out and support an action he initiated and Nigerians kicked against? Or should we be happy that he came out to 'rebuke' and re-appraise the freedom of the press even when they had it before and it was strengthened through Jonathan's FOI bill?

Useless thread!

How many people have been successful getting information through the FOI bill.There is even a thread on the frontpage now,wherein the NASS refused to release its budget breakdown, even when the FOI bill was invoked.
The action of GMB is capable of making agencies of govt not to hoard information or prevent journalists from doing their job,that's my belief.

doctokwus:

How many people have been successful getting information through the FOI bill.There is even a thread on the frontpage now,wherein the NASS refused to release its budget breakdown, even when the FOI bill was invoked.
The action of GMB is capable of making agencies of govt not to hoard information or prevent journalists from doing their job,that's my belief.

I see you were waiting for that thread to hit FP before you could quote me. Have you perused the content of the FOI act? Do you know the conditions for releasing information to the general public or to an individual?

Or, have you ever sought for information from a government agency without success?

Even the US that preaches and practices democracy and freedom shields certain actions of government to the general public.

If any individual or group feels that the NASS was wrong to have withheld information that is deemed public info, and that that info falls within the ambit of the FOI act, then they should use the courts. That is why we are in a democracy.

The National Assembly is not an agency of government. How many agencies of government have you sought information from and got a no? GEJ cannot order the legislature to throw open their account books. That is why we have separation of powers. And we wouldn't be having this conversation if GMB didn't prevent journalists from covering his activities. So all his actions after Nigerians rejected the move amounts to a face saving bullshit!

this guy is absolutely an opposite of the incumbent President. if it was the incumbent President, he will keep quiet until it is being blown out of proportion by overzealous journalists who need someone to ridicule to gain attention. one of the mistakes of GEJ was his inability to clear the air and take decisive action thereby allowing his perceived enemies an opportunity to blame him for many crimes. this is what I call a President

nortcentrallord:


I am well aware of that news. That was in 2013 and we all condemned that even thought is also well accepted that there are reservations to that law too. For example, matters bothering on national unity and security are off the FOI. Between 2013 and 2015, there has been a lot of transformation or gradual change as to the understanding of the FOI bill on both the side of the government and the press hence I haven't heard of such incident until recently where Ait was restricted to cover the president elect which clearly to me a direct payback to the incidents of the campaign period. I don't see anything wrong with AIT airing those documents during before the elections. As I said earlier, Ait is a media house and I expected apc to have even said they approached Ait to advertise or air some advocating documents but they refused. I never heard GEJ complaining or baring any media house. Even on social media, people call him all sorts of name not minding the Nigerian pride associated with the seat of the presidency. In a country Like Nigeria @ this stage, we need media houses like channels and we need more daring media house like Ait and sahara reports.

What FOI? Lets stop deceiving ourselves please. What information is free? The whereabouts of the first lady or the amount of money she is paid? Her properties or that of the President? The legislative allowances or the breakdown? What information exactly? How is TAN funded? How much was used for the Jonathan campaign and from where? Are these information free? How many cars does Okupe have or how many hotels and houses does President Jonathan have? What exactly is Freedom of Information that we are bandying around? Is it the right of AIT to stalk Buhari, that is FOI to you? Do you think really that Buhari has no rights too to screen journalists that hover around him like vultures? How can you not see ANYTHING wrong with AIT airing calumny and lies during or before elections? Even after NBC said no station should campaign, they continued with impunity all day 24hours to election. Why should you or anyone expect APC to go and be advocating documents whatever that means? Do you think they do not have plans? Should they live their lives by whatever nonsense Fani-Kayode has to say? So if FFK or Okupe says rubbish about Buhari or APC, all APC should do is go and rebut and be advocating documents and explaining or refuting every lie? Nobody went to media houses or stooped as low as the PDP during the campaigns telling lies and calumny. Nobody went personal on GEJ or called him clueless and whatever other degrading words on NTA or Channels or TVC. Any bad thing you heard about GEJ was uncontrollable by the government. Lack of control is not the same thing as FOI. Our government lacks the ability and security to control Nairaland or Facebook or Twitter. If they could trace or get to people damaging them, they would. This is a far cry from them putting a leash on the likes of Fayose, Asari, Patience Jonathan, Okupe, friends of Nigeria, TAN and other silly associations that came out openly on NTA and other stations to speak unprintable words against the person of Buhari.