Reuben Abati, spokesman of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday said people still expected him to sound like a “panelist on Patito’s gang or a columnist” when he joined government.

Alongside Pat Utomi, a notable economist, Abati who also chaired the editorial board of Guardian, anchored Patito’s Gang, a television talkshow that focused on societal issues.

Commenting on his role in government, Abati said the job of a spokesman is very sensitive and requires wisdom.

He was speaking during a lecture entitled: ‘Media and Economic Renaissance: Media as a tool for economic diversification’.

“Once you are in government, you are no more a journalist. It’s just like a royal court; the king does not go out, he sends someone to deliver his message to the people,” he said.

“The job of a government’s spokesman is very delicate and sensitive. A careless spokesperson can blow up a country but my colleagues still wanted me to talk as Abati, the columnist or Abati as a panelist in Patitos Gang.

“Loquacity is not an asset when you are a government’s spokesman. It is not everything that a hunter sees in the bush that he talks about.”

Abati also challenged journalists to always make public office holders accountable to the people.

This is the second time that Abati would be making public comment since he left government in May.

In July, he wrote a piece entitled: ‘The Phones No longer Ring’, detailing his experience as the mouthpiece of the government between 2011 and 2015.



Source: https://www.thecable.ng/abati-turned-different-person-joined-govt

“Once you are in government, you are no more a journalist

It is not everything that a hunter sees in the bush that he talks about.”


Pure compromising of integrity and self identity. You are a columnist before getting into govt, now bcame mute during his tenure, just for you to start speaking again after tenure!

I mean, its so absurd.

Even the govt in power then has threatened to Kill His family, would he still have retorted to been a faithful spokes person to the govt by been silent


#AllbunchofLiars
satisfying their own interest

No, yu was a goat.

You were?

So , Abati is telling me that he's been delivering GEJ's message all this while ?


Ok,

Is he trying to distant himself from Jonathan now. Unfortunately for you Mr Abati, you were part of the failures that surrounded President Jonathan.

Was he hyponetised

Once you are in Government , you have chosen a side and people will live to constantly remind you of it..