By Kamil Opeyemi
Arise Television anchor, Rueben Abati, has said “a lot of Nigerians” have hearing problems with the manners they interpret what they hear on television programmes.
Abati, while speaking on the live programme, This Morning, on Friday, was reacting to a rebuttal by the presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, who on Thursday issued a statement to condemn report of salary increase for judges and political office holders.
There have been outrage after reports went out that President Bola Tinubu had approved a 114% salary increase for salaries of political office holders and judges.
“We were quoted out of context. We never said President Tinubu has approved increase in salary. Those saying that are doing mischief. A lot of people have hearing problems. When you say something on television, they twist it to something else,” Abati said
Before Abati, his colleague, Oseni Rufai, had opened the floor to condemn what he called a twist in what they reported on their programme.
Rufai said for Alake to have responded in the manner he did to the report on salary increase, he said it must have been a failure to understand what was discussed on air.
Also contributing, another of the anchors, Ayo Mairo-Ese, accused Alake of being combative saying Alake should recognise that the campaigns are over and that the government should get down to governance.
“The spokesman of the president is combative,” she said
In the release by Alake on Thursday, he had said that the media failed in the duty to clarify before misinforming Nigerians.
His release had stated, “However, that this unfounded story gained prominence on social media and in a section of mainstream media, again, brings to the fore the danger fake news poses to the society and our national well-being.
“The misinformation was, obviously, contrived to create ill-will for the new administration, slow down the upward momentum and massive goodwill the Tinubu-led administration is currently enjoying among Nigerians as a result of its fast paced, dynamic and progressive policies.
“It is important to reiterate to journalists, media managers, and members of the public that stories on government activities and policy issues that do not emanate from approved official communication channels should be ignored.
“Media practitioners are enjoined to, at all times, cross-check their stories to ensure accurate reportage, which is the hallmark of responsible journalism.”