Presidential Assistant on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, has been severely criticised for describing the Goodluck Jonathan Administration as the “first Internet-age Presidency” Nigeria ever had.
In an interview posted on his personal website, Abati stated that the proliferation of online platforms and the various social networking sites had made his job as the President’s spokesman tasking.
He said that though social media forms may be seen as symbols of the freedom of expression, many “sadists, psychopaths, mischief-makers, Luciferian characters and their cheerleaders,” were “exploiting” them to cause public disaffection.
He accused some Nigerians of using the freedom online platforms offer to utter “nonsense”, adding that such people hide their identity, tell lies and say things they would not ordinarily say in the open.
He said, “There is no doubt that the Jonathan Presidency is effectively the first Internet-age presidency that Nigerians have had. The Internet didn’t start in his time, you know.

Under former President Olusegun Obasanjo the Internet was there and the social media in Nigeria was just emerging as a tool of socio- political engagement.

“Under late President Yar’adua too, it was beginning to find its roots. But under President Jonathan, the social media has become an explosive, unavoidable phenomenon such that as spokesman to the President, I have to deal with an entirely different kind of communications and public relations template.
I doubt if any spokesman in this office before has had to deal with the same scope of Internet penetration.”

Abati said that though he makes use of the social media for publicity purposes and as an observatory for monitoring tenor of public discourse, the associated online networks were an “imperfect medium.”
“Today, everybody is a journalist. All you need is a phone, an i-Pad and access to the Internet.
You can set up your own blog; you can rely on a BlackBerry smartphone, and you don’t need a licence. But the question is: who guards the guardians? I think that is a relevant question.

Otherwise, the social media could do more harm than good in many circumstances,” Abati added.
But Nigerians, who read the interview online, wondered if the “Internet-age Presidency” referred to by Abati should be a hindrance to development and the fight against corruption.


http://www.punchng.com/i-punch/nigerians-query-abati-over-internet-age-presidency/

The respondents said they were surprised that the presidential aide would preoccupy himself with such a description of the presidency when there were many issues begging for attention in the Nigerian polity.
Some of them asked Abati if his description of the Jonathan Presidency should be counted as an achievement.

One Ali Flab on Twitter asked, “When did you people start using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in Nigeria? Why not say that he (Jonathan) is the Chief Executive Officer of social media.”

On Facebook, one Akinola Dhikrullah said he agreed with Abati’s position. But he added that it had had no positive effect on the welfare of the people.
“We can say yes, but how has that put food on the table of the masses? Does he operate any social media account by himself? If no, that means the essence of creating one is defeated,” Dhikrullah said.

Another respondent, Seun Fakuade wrote on Twitter, “I’m glad how that (Internet-age Presidency) has transformed Nigeria. Hallelujah. Keep wallowing in your delusions your lordship King Reuben.”

Also on the same social network, one Awobode Emmanuel wrote, “Is it the Internet that will bring about development in Nigeria? The President should focus on governance.”

Commenting on Abati’s website after reading the interview, one Okey urged the Jonathan administration to take the fight against corruption seriously.

“This is a powerful interview. I only have a point to make: which is that a lot more needs to be done about corruption. I’m not talking about beheading anyone, just simple justice.
The law needs to be seen to be effective, if things are going to change. For the depth of depravity Nigeria has reached, quietly strengthening our institutions is not enough. In government today people are stealing left and right,” he wrote.

Abati is the most decrepit and scandalous turncoat we've ever had in this country. I wonder how he manages to sleep at night.

Presidential Assistant on Media and Publicity, Dr.Reuben Abati, has been severely criticised for describing the Goodluck Jonathan Administration as the “first Internet-age Presidency” Nigeria ever had.

These people are really comedians. they don't fail to crack our ribs.
since they lack innovations, ideas and creativity hence attache by force.

i tot this man was dead

May someone remind this id!ot that his thesis doesn't really fit in his conclusion!

He has clearly shot himself in the foot by admitting the internet was growing from OBJ to YAR ADUA and now Jonathan!

It is expected that it will continue at such trend..

The kinds of nonsense we attribute to personalities and the type of politics we try to play is so insane!

What has his conclusion got to do with jonathan being a first class clueless thing with a bowl called a hat? An era of his where corruption was in full growth as cancer!

May i remind this thing called abati that av been using the internet since the time of NOkIA 3530b...a 'cameraless' phone at that time! And i can recollect that 98% of my classmates were using internet enabled phone. That was even in 2007!

ASL33: ... and farts himself to the next morning.

Now that was funny. But try keep tribe out of the mata. I nor follow u go down dat dirt road sam sam.

Ayekotoo:
He said that though social media forms may be seen as symbols of the freedom of expression, many “sadists, psychopaths, mischief-makers, Luciferian characters and their cheerleaders,” were “exploiting” them to cause public disaffection.
He accused some Nigerians of using the freedom online platforms offer to utter “nonsense”, adding that such people hide their identity, tell lies and say things they would not ordinarily say in the open.


http://www.punchng.com/i-punch/nigerians-query-abati-over-internet-age-presidency/

Am sorry to say but this man must be very daft and he himself calling people all kinds of words with his 40 paid lapdogs.

kettle calling pot black.
should we not criticize the president anymore or wats he trying to say?

Why not as well go the whole hog and say Johnathan brought internet to Nigeria like the minister for information Labaran Maku who claimed it was oga who brought Facebook to the country.

Ayekotoo:

He said, “There is no doubt that the Jonathan Presidency is effectively the first Internet-age presidency that Nigerians have had. The Internet didn’t start in his time, you know.

This reality could not be further from the truth. I believe him, there are more internet users in his time because of the internet growth(not by any of his making) than his predecessors. Jonathan is 'Effectively' the first internet-age Nigerian president.






Wanton criticism or selective criticism is unhealthy. Criticism is part of governance, it may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. Calling the critics of the President, who is the President to all, including his haters as “Sadists, Psychopaths, mischief-makers and Luciferian characters" is idiocy at its best and a remarkable display of government stupidity. Some of those people are tax-payers and law abiding citizens who are merely exercising and expressing their civic right. Obama gets criticize all the time from different quarters, from the armchair quarterbacks, fervent critics, the opposition, the brownshirts who despise him because of his skin color, members of the US Congress who have dedicated the rest of their lives to oppose any thing Obama support and so on, but you'd never hear or see a government spokesperson paid from the public purse call or refer to them as 'Sadists, Psychopaths or Luciferian characters' or brand them as 'enemies of the State'.


Abati is trying to encourage a culture of concordance, feeblemindedness, bootlicking and Yes-Sir-ism.

true.

I've been meaning to open a thread detailing the growth of the internet in nigeria.

unfortunately, this info seems to be under wraps.

we do not know who pioneered the nigerian internet service, when exactly it came to nigeria, which areas it took root in and who were the first IT specialists, how they got into the field, where they learnt about it, etc etc.

Well said Oga Reuben Abati

He accused some Nigerians of using the freedom online platforms offer to utter “nonsense”, adding that such people hide their identity, tell lies and say things they would not ordinarily say in the open.

http://www.punchng.com/i-punch/nigerians-query-abati-over-internet-age-presidency/

Was this part referring to Insincere 9gerian?

“There is no doubt
that the Jonathan Presidency
is effectively the first Internet-
age presidency that Nigerians
have had

abati was only corroborating what Labaran Maku said pre 2011 election,

'i want to thank You President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for bringing facebook to nigeria' -labaran maku

Tolexander: abati was only corroborating what Labaran Maku said pre 2011 election,

Go and digest the article to correct your misgivings.

You prolly did not get the thrust of the thread . . . .

Jmain:

Go and digest the article to correct your misgivings.

You prolly did not get the thrust of the thread . . . .

Oh sorry!
I forgot to clear your post quoted just to save me from the stress of scrolling down.

Neither is 'well said' a meaningful contribution boy!

That statement is true!!!! He brought Facebook to Nigeria which has eradicated poverty by 90 percent, call of assu strike, kill boko haram, what about d 247 power supply and all d tiled roads across the country. Omo this fresh air wey dey blow for Naija dey make Dubai pple relocate come Naija.

These guys are clowns except they are not funny anymore. They are just an inconvenience in the wrong side of the back

Clowns and comedians

Oh yes I agree that he is the first internet age president Nigeria has ever produced. Has that stopped him from being dumb? He still remains the most corrupt,clueless and incompetent Nigerian President!

Oshi rabata.....
Seemz Jona don credit dt Reuben Abata acct in recent time..
Onisukuso ni man yen.
If 4 kuku say na Jona govt brings Whatsapp, yahoo, Bbm, 2go and odas to naija. Abi how dt 1 kon solves d prblm of Unemployment, insecurity, poor state of roads, ASUU and d rest? Infact make dt man go sleeep

Most of the respondents in that article and even here on this thread are stark illiterates. He didn't say Jonathan's internet age Presidency was an achievement, he only gave that as the reason why there seems to be an increase in crticisms and insults thrown at the Presidency under GEJ. Anyone who denies that the internet penetration under GEJ and the use of social media is at an all time high, is only being delusional. You don't need to look further than El-Rufai, FFK, Dino Melaye and the likes to see what he meant, when did those people join Twitter ? When did they start using social media for political purposes?

.

Its just like saying before Jonathan Nigerians don't
Have an iPhone5 and 5c,z10,phantom A etc.

Abati,its time not Jonathan.Jona might have his
Achievements somewhere you have failed to mention but not this one.

And this is an achievement

collynzo2: Most of the respondents in that article and even here on this thread are stark illiterates. He didn't say Jonathan's internet age Presidency was an achievement, he only gave that as the reason why there seems to be an increase in crticisms and insults thrown at the Presidency under GEJ. Anyone who denies that the internet penetration under GEJ and the use of social media is at an all time high, is only being delusional. You don't need to look further than El-Rufai, FFK, Dino Melaye and the likes to see what he meant, when did those people join Twitter ? When did they start using social media for political purposes?

Are you more educated than those respondents. read again but thus time carefully

Abati is a clown