Aso Rock Expels Punch Reporter Over Report On Buhari
The presidency has expelled from Aso Rock Olalekan Adetayo, the Punch correspondent assigned to cover the Presidential Villa.
He was sent packing over a report he wrote on President Muhammadu Buhari’s health status at the weekend.
The report was the lead story on Sunday edition of the newspaper entitled, ‘Fresh Anxiety Over Buhari’s Health.’ Trouble started as soon as Adetayo reported for work on Monday; he was summoned by the President’s Chief Security Officer, Bashir Bindawa, to explain the motive behind his story.
According to the reporter’s account, he had told the CSO that there was no ulterior motive behind the said report.
His tag used in gaining access into the Villa was subsequently seized before he was seen off by some security aides out of the State House.
The CSO had penultimate Thursday had an interactive session with members of the State House Press Corps during which he handed them guidelines on how to report the Villa. The CSO had also in January this year summoned Daily Trust reporter and the same Punch correspondent over a story on an accidental discharge that injured a female staff at the State House.
In 2015, during the heat of the presidential election, Musa Ubale, the correspondent of Radio Deuchewelle, was also expelled in a similar circumstance by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ubale’s expulsion from covering the Villa generated widespread condemnation both within and outside Nigeria. He was later reinstated by Buhari as soon as he settled down to office. Ubale is the incumbent chairman of the State House Press Corps.
Shortly after the news of Adetayo’s expulsion went viral on social media, Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, distanced himself from the CSO’s action on his twitter angle@FemiAdesina.
Adesina said that the president has never been averse to press freedom and could not have initiated the expulsion.
His twitter handle@FemiAdesina reads, “We were not consulted in the media office by the CSO before he expelled the Punch reporter. President Buhari is committed to press freedom.
“An amicable solution would be found to the Punch reporter on the matter. President Buhari does not intend to muzzle the media in any way.”
POSTED BY:OPUOMONI PRIYE
DATE:04/25/2017
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