- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu is set to hold his first media chat with journalists on Monday evening (today.)
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the chat will be broadcast by 9pm on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
“The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
“All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast.” Onanuga announced.
Tonight’s show will be the President’s first time of engaging with journalists in form of a media chat.
Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru YarAdua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari had held such chats in the past providing avenues for journalists to probe into the activities of government.
However the announcement that only the Nigeria Television Authority would air the interview with President has sparked reactions online.
many have condemned it as a mere talk show where journalists won’t have Iporo ask pressing questions on the state of the nation.
One of those who have directly reacted was one of the critics of the present administration Shehu Mahdi who wrote via his X handle @shehu_mahdi “Mr Bayo
“You are dared to allow your principal, Tinubu, to appear for a live interrective interview with assorted print and electronic media practitioners with neither advance questions sought nor answers from the backend.
“A pre-recorded interview with NTA and FRCN anchores is no different from WAEC, NECO, JAMB MIRACLE CENTERS where dull, imbecile, lazy and unintelligent students troop to pay for undeserving grades.
“You know, for real, such open discourse with Tinubu will show to Nigerians what they have in their midst and how it is impossible for Nigeria to grow.
“I pray you will sum up the courage, guts, and audacity to take up this daring challenges.”
Another commentator Onuoha Innocent wrote
“Please Mr Bayo sir, this can not fly. Our president should have media chat on live television with independent media men and women without already prepared questions from presidency, not this edited pre-recorded interview with compromised fellows.”
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