By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Mr. Ajuri Ngelale has assumed office at Presidential Villa, Abuja, as Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Publicity.
This he did with a briefing of State House Correspondents, during which he gave a programme line up for his leadership of Media Office of the President on how he intends to relate with Nigerians through the media.
He said, “The first point I will like 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.
“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 President and 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 zero tolerance policy on every spokesperson and every media functionary that works here and in the government in terms of how we relate with Nigerians through the press.
“Gone forever, by the grace of God, are the days when government spokesmen and spokeswomen would speak down to Nigerians, would use condescending language with Nigerians and would display some forms of institutional arrogance towards Nigerians. That will not be tolerated under my leadership.
“I want to be very clear that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man of empathy. He is committed to the course of opening the Presidency to Nigerians for the benefit of not just Nigerians, but to the benefit of public office holders because, it is in the interest of public office holders to know that they have been watched so that they can be held accountable to deliver on the promises of the President in terms of the execution of government policy.
“And we are going to, in very short order, announce a series of very tangible measures that have to do with the opening up of this institution on a daily basis in a deeper and more comprehensive way than has ever been seen before.
“The last point that I want to make is that I have had privilege, as I have taken up this appointment, of speaking with my predecessors. I believe in the institutional memory, I believe in the importance of relying on the wisdom of those who had come before us.
“I have spoken with Dr. Reuben Abati, I have spoken with Mr. Femi Adesina, I have spoken with Mr. Segun Adeniyi and I would continue to deepen those engagements.
“And, irrespective of political affiliations, all of us love this country and we are going to do our bit to ensure that the Nigerian media feels that it has its rightful place in the affairs of government, in the affairs of public life and that our institutions are open for them to deliver right, accurate and factual information to Nigerians,” he said.
