http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=83272&printer_friendly=1


National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday came down heavily on journalists and the Nigerian media, when he described them as “ignoramous and complete illiterates."
Speaking in Abuja when he granted audience to Imo State Working Committee of the party who paid him a courtesy visit, Ali, apparently not satisfied with the manner the media reported his utterances where he criticised the privatisation policy of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said “mark my words, it is most probable, mark my words, I know we have a press that is largely ignoramous and they tend to say that they don’t understand or they cannot decipher my English, because they never studied the way I studied.
“ I say it because it is totally a different kettle of fish, I think there is a difference. I emphasis that because by now, they will go ahead and write a different thing. Please can you (ordering his security details) get rid of them. Get rid of them,” he said, and directed his security details to chase journalists out of the PDP National Secretariat in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja., after which he shouted on top of his voice, “good riddance.”
THISDAY gathered that Ali was not happy with journalists for reporting that the privatisation policy of Obasanjo was ill-informed.
Ali had said in Abuja, during an investiture on him that there must be a subsidy for the agricultural sector, while criticising the planned sale of unity schools as unnecessary, explaining that they represent part of the country's national heritage.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, John Odey, titled "Re: Ali Condemns Obasanjo's Reforms," the party said "Senator Ali's position, therefore, is for subsidy on Agriculture to be maintained, so that our farmers can have access to affordable farming implements to boost production, which will in effect, contribute to employment and National Security. The land reform programme of the present administration is targeted to achieve this purpose.
"Subsidy on agriculture is also a major policy thrust of developed nations of Europe and America. The European Union and the United States governments till today, heavily subsidises agriculture by engaging in bulk buy back of products and restriction of production to avoid glut and waste. Generous tax incentives are also given to farmers."
On the planned sale of unity schools, the statement from PDP said there is the need to preserve "our national heritage which our unity schools represent."
THISDAY gathered that the need for the National Chairman of PDP to re-clarify its position was as a result of several calls he received from some top government officials.
Also, a source told THISDAY that for Ali to inisist that there is the need for agriculture subsidy, when in actual fact, Obasanjo's eight years regime was against it, is an indication of a crack.

Can anyone name one good thing that has ever come out of this man? After shooting his mouth recklessly to attack OBJ's privatisation exercise, an exercise he fully participated in, and is now on the receiving end of OBJ's stings, he now feels journalists who reported his comments should be blamed for doing their work. A lilly-livered colonel who can not own up to his own comments even when such comments are on tape.

Please dont mind the old bag, He is the one that is ingnorant and arrogant, he is beheaving this way simply because he has lost out. Tell me if he is still in the good books of the powers that be, will he be attacking them. He was quite when things were rosy and suddenly woken up from slumber when things are not going on well for him. It is said that when you build on a bad foundation, the outcome will not be pleasant. Im glad such is happening to all the ex military rouges who think that they own Nigeria.

He has not even met SaharaReporters and PM NEWS yet he's complaining. E never see anything.

Was is pressmen that forced themselves into his bedroom to go and interview him at gunpoint abi he went to where they were minding their own business and started giving them a story to twist?

The man had got every right to be annoyed if truly he was quoted out of context or can anyone gave us the exact statement he made in this regard to be sure that he is not ranting for fun.