Presidency: Tinubu’s Govt Will Ensure Press Freedom

•Says no more talking down on Nigerians

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Presidency, yesterday, said President Bola Tinubu’s government was committed to free press and would ensure zero-tolerance policy towards media repression and institutional arrogance in government communications.

The newly appointed Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, stated this in his first interaction with newsmen covering the State House, Abuja.

He assured the media that Tinubu’s administration was poised  to open up the presidency to the public, hold public office holders accountable and open up the presidency to the public.

Ngelale emphasised that his responsibility was to serve the over 200 million citizens of Nigeria, and not any particular political party or public officials.

“I humbly accepted the  appointment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to serve as his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and as the official spokesperson of the President.

“I believe the first and most important point I would want to make is that this institution belongs to Nigerians. It does not belong to any political party, it does not belong to any public official. It belongs to over 200 million citizens of this country both at home and abroad. And it is with that understanding that we will be engaging the world,” he said.

Ngelale stressed the administration’s dedication to providing Nigerians with full access to the affairs of the Presidential villa and the offices of the President and Vice President through various media channels, including radio networks, television networks, newspapers, and online news sources.

According to him, “We believe  it is the right, not a privilege but the right of every Nigerian to have full access into the affairs of the Presidential villa, into the affairs of the office of the President and the office of the Vice president.

“We will be more open in terms of providing access to information to radio networks,  television networks,  newspapers and online news media than ever before.  We are committed to ensuring that there is a zero tolerance policy on every spokesperson and every media functionary that works here in the government in terms of how we relate with Nigerians through the press.”

Ngelale was, however, emphatic that gone are the days of condescending language and institutional arrogance towards Nigerians from government spokespersons.