The Nigerian Presidency has come out very strongly against an editorial in an international magazine which criticised Goodluck Jonathan’s government, while endorsing Muhammadu Buhari for presidency.
In a press statement signed by Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), the presidency ‘noted with surprise, The Economist’s tongue-in-cheek endorsement of General Muhammadu Buhari in the run-up to Nigeria’s general elections and the international magazine’s baseless, jaundiced and rather malicious vilification of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’.
The statement argued that though the magazine may pretend it’s not aware of the president’s transformation of the country in the last six years, it’s brash editorial is not enough to deceive voting Nigerians, who have witnessed the transformation themselves: “Nigerians, unlike the magazine’s opinion writers, will actually vote in the country’s forthcoming presidential elections, know(ing) that President Jonathan has worked very hard to fulfill all the major promises he made to them on assumption of office”.
The statement also blasted General Buhari, whom the magazine supports, and enumerated the human rights abuses he was accused of during his military junta: “Nigerians and other readers of the usually urbane, thoughtful and well-reasoned editorial opinions of the Economist will be shocked that the magazine has taken the very ill-considered decision to throw its weight behind a candidate who, as a former military dictator, curtailed freedom of speech, ordered the kidnapping of opponents and jailing of journalists, and is accused of incitement to violence and grave human rights violations in Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation”.
It read on: “Contrary to the Economist’s assertions, Nigeria, under has made very considerable progress. In spite of the significant challenges of terrorism and insurgency the nation faces today, President Jonathan has ensured that Nigeria has become a more vibrant democracy with free media, an independent judiciary, free, fair and credible elections, and greater respect for human rights”.
“The Economist is entitled to its erroneous opinion on who represents the best leadership option for Nigeria in the coming elections, but happily for the country, it is not the magazine’s lead writers, but more knowledgeable and patriotic Nigerians who actually work and live in the country, that will vote and re-elect President Jonathan for a second term in office. They will do so, because unlike the Economist’s opinion writers, they understand that a Buhari Presidency will, for their beloved country, represent a stark setback and retrogression from the tremendous ongoing positive transformation of Nigeria under President Jonathan’s leadership”.
