It is necessary to respond to a fictive story
published in today's edition of New Telegraph
Newspaper, to the effect that President
Muhammadu Buhari has approved the
replacement of Chief of Defence Staff, General
Gabriel Olonisakin, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice
Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as Service Chiefs.
The newspaper, rather than rush to print an
unsubstantiated story, would have done better to
confirm the information at its disposal, from many
available military and government information
channels. It then would have avoided the self-
inflicted wound of publishing a one-legged story
that is not completely true, and damaging its
brand in the process.
Gen Olonisakin is due to retire from the Army next
week, having satisfied the official number of years
in service. He is yet to be replaced. But the Chief
of Naval Staff has a short while more, and
President Buhari could, therefore, not have
approved his replacement yet.
This administration has repeatedly pledged
commitment to transparency and accountability,
and one of the hallmarks of that is making
information available to the media. But when
some sections of the media would rather
speculate, than cross-check and double check
information, then it borders on deliberate
mischief. That, surely, is not the way to go, for
national cohesion and development.

FEMI ADESINA
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
December 12, 2016.

I believe the earlier report