₦airaland Forum

See the pained editorial from the Guardian on the lies told to the paper and the world about Buhari.

IF I were the All Progressives Congress (APC), I
would not lie about the health of General
Muhammadu Buhari. If the man is actually ill and
has gone abroad to seek medical attention, the
party, through its national publicity secretary, Lai
Mohammed, or any other spokesman, should simply
say so, and not lie about it. To posture and make it
seem as if Buhari cannot fall ill because there is a
presidential election to contest and win is to make
the man appear superhuman.
All human beings must cave in to ill health and
ultimate death at some point. Everybody, including
the politicians of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), knows this. That was why the party tried to
disconnect itself from Governor Ayodele Fayose’s
‘death wish’ advertisement on Buhari.
Whether in Christian or Islamic theology, others are
required to show sympathy through prayers to
people who are ill. Even animists and atheists do
same. But nobody has said Buhari is ill and has
gone to London for medical attention. What the APC
said was that its presidential candidate left for UK
last week to continue his campaign to become
Nigeria’s president by way of interaction with
Nigerians living in UK. It was only Governor Fayose,
who has been all over the old man like a gadfly that
said Buhari was admitted to Cavendish Hospital in
London.
Because people say Fayose is always shouting
wolves when there are even no sheep in sight,
nobody took him seriously when he said that the
APC was on a mission to misinform Nigeria about
Buhari’s visit to London. Soon, pictures were floated
in the air to support the APC position that Buhari
was in London for a different purpose, which
included speaking at the Royal Institute of
International Affairs, otherwise known as Chatham
House, on his presidential ambition.
There was apparent desperation to create a
scenario that never existed regarding Buhari’s visit
to the United Kingdom. And this was where the
publicity machinery of the APC got it all wrong.
Dummies were sold to newspapers as photos of
Buhari in London. One showed him with former
British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, Ogun State
Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and former governor of
Kwara State, now a senator, Bukola Saraki. That
was confirmed real by some people. But another
captioned: Presidential Candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu
Buhari (right) with the Chief Executive Officer, All
Eyes TV Show, Kemi Fadojutimi (left), during
Buhari’s working visit to United Kingdom also came.
Coming from Mallam Shehu Garba, media director of
the Buhari Campaign Organisation and a fine
professional and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the national
publicity secretary of the APC, I did not probe to
uncover any hidden motives. And I am sure most
editors did not, which was why either of the photos
made prime news pages last Sunday. When my
Executive Director, Mr. Toke Ibru, first mentioned it
that I had put a fake photo on the front page, I urged
caution so that we did not hastily contradict
ourselves on the right point.
But before the end of day, my phone had been
inundated with messages from readers, analysing
the graphics of the photo and saying why the shot
was taken at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, and not a
location in the UK as claimed in the photo caption. I
tried to piece together the puzzle, but nothing was
adding up to anything meaningful. I mean, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, Mallam Sehu Garba and then fake
photographs of General Buhari in London coming
from both of them. What could be the purpose
behind that piece of propaganda? To prove that they
could do better than a Joseph Goebbels in the art of
misinformation when there was no Second World
War to prosecute and win?
Ever before Ayo Fayose left for Hilton Abuja to
conduct a ‘forensic’ investigation of the photograph
of Buhari’s media interview in London, Pat
Enechukwu, who follows this column every Sunday,
had done his and sent to me his findings: “My
brother good afternoon. Please look at that front
page photograph of Buhari critically and watch
issues I am raising. That bottled water on the table
(Aquafina) is a Nigerian product. The newspapers
are Nigerian papers with the one on top looking like
The Guardian and I mean our own The Guardian
and not London Guardian that I have bought and
read severally in London. The magazine on top is
DSTV Magazine. What’s DSTV in London and who
uses DSTV in London?”
Governor Fayose did something far more
comprehensive and after watching him debunk the
controversial photo with striking facts, I was
convinced that I had been used to push forth a lie to
Nigerians. I was conned by the APC to put it lightly. I
called Shehu Garba to reconfirm the photos. He did,
dismissing the people raising issues, and I guess
that should include my Executive Director, as Buhari
detractors. We went ahead to correct the error in
our Monday, February 23 edition, in spite of Mr.
Garba and the APC. He has not called me to
straighten issues one way or the other.
I cannot understand the point the APC media
machinery was trying to make. Till date, nobody has
explained anything to whatever effect. At least, let
something, just anything, no matter how improbable,
be said. For instance, something like the devil or
more precisely the PDP, had hacked into the APC’s
works to send the lying photograph to media houses
to cause the recalcitrant APC this huge corporate
embarrassment. They just kept quiet as if nothing
was amiss. In their deafening silence, they seem to
be saying ‘we are APC; we equate truth and positive
change and nothing false comes from us.’ Or could
the aloofness and lack of remorse, even when guilt
is established, be flowing from the APC’s belief that
it has converted all newspapers in the country to its
official newsletters, where anything can be off-
loaded and no questions will be asked?
Whichever, I am still not able to figure out what the
APC was trying to hide. That Buhari wasn’t in
London for medical checks? And if I may ask, what
is wrong if Buhari falls ill and goes to London to
seek medical attention? People far less than him in
status do so even more frequently. This man we are
talking about was a head of state 30 years ago. In
case we are confusing issues, let me state clearly
that in Nigeria, no former director in the civil
service, not to talk of permanent secretary, state
commissioner, state and national legislator, minister
and governor treats even malaria at home. I mean
malaria, which is strictly a tropical disease that
does not attract good medical space in the
operations of hospitals in Europe and America. They
go abroad, even to India, to be given the same anti-
malaria combination drugs that are readily available
and more effective in Nigeria.
And so, I don’t understand the fuss about a whole
Buhari at 72 going abroad for medicals. Is he not
human? Or is it because people say he is the
messiah God has sent to save Nigeria, he has now
become a deity that does not fall ill? Buhari had
withstood the rigours of about 60 days of intensive
campaigns across the country to convince voters to
give him the mandate to be president and just when
he thought it was all over, ‘enemies’ conspired to
shift the presidential election by six weeks, which
means, more campaigns and jetting around. Not all
young men can stand straight under such intense
pressure.
Therefore, if the man ran to London to catch some
breathe after the long stretch and also used the
opportunity to run checks on his state of health
while equally squeezing in some time to talk at
Chatham House, in order to remain politically
fashionable, nothing spoil at all. The APC should
have simply said so and nobody would be hurt.
Instead, the party embarked on a deliberate mission
of misinformation to imbue Buhari with
transcendental attributes of never-sick and never-
die.
The APC can still make good points without
intrigues. Not long ago, the intrigues were of a
different colouration when news came that the
Lagos Home of the APC’s national leader, Ahmed
Bola Tinubu, was under surveillance by military
men, apparently put there by the PDP controlled
Federal Government. And then another piece of
propaganda, saying General Buhari had braved all
the odds to visit Chibok and had useful dialogues
with the folks up there. This is not the way to
represent change in Nigeria.
All said, I am still waiting for someone in the APC
camp to mount the podium and explain with good
reasons what caused the translocation that turned
Hilton Abuja to some spot in London.
Garba was to later send what he conceived to be an
explanation of the blunder yesterday, through a third
party. It still does not add up and cannot vitiate my
argument here.
http://m.ngrguardiannews.com/en/editorial-opinion/columnist/200027-ogbodo-the-lying-photo-from-lai-mohammed

seun, Ngwakwe, lasaticlala, ishilove please do the needful let the world know why we have been shouting and who the APC really are.
A bunch of liars with a man aptly named LIAR Mohammed as its Liar-In-Chief.

More questions than answer....
#NeverAgain

The greatest fundamental human rights is that a man cannot be prosecuted or held liable for his thoughts or even his wishes ~Justice Babatunde Belgore.
That a Fayose wishes death for buhari shouldn't be the reason APC were spamming us with lies about buhari's trip to London. Fayose was only exercising his fundamental human rights as entrenched in our Constitution. APC never apologises when their lies are busted, it's their stock in trade. Take heart Guardian, next time when you get a "good morning" from lie Muhammed always check ur wristwatch before responding.

Lies from the pit of hell.

Editor please come out and categorically say that you got those pictures directly from lai Muhammed and Garba shehu. Please tell us you got it from them

APC is full of lies and deceit. Vote them at your peril.
Borrow borrow party.

Why are u people so shameless.This is the same way u people intend to deceive villagers who can't read or write or have access to d social media!
This is an opinion piece by a die hard PDP supporter and u have termed it to be a guardian editor piece with ur aim being that d dull wud then equate it to be that of the editorial team itself. Tufiakwa!!U people are so shameless with ur lies!!
Show anyone where the author of this piece has ever been an editor of any publication of the Guardian or be smeared in your childish folly!
Despite all these Buhari is still gaining in popularity.Tufiakwa again!!

Obiagelli:
Editor please come out and categorically say that you got those pictures directly from lai Muhammed and Garba shehu. Please tell us you got it from them

He did already.

I mean, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, Mallam Sehu Garba and then fake
photographs of General Buhari in London coming
from both of them

I guess any piece of news from APC should be scrutinised before printing them on the pages of newspaper...

BTW why do we have so many lazy journalists around What happened to investigative journalism Do you expect a political media person to give you something that goes against his party

What stops the journalists from doing their own findings Rather than wait on the media person for information...

doctokwus:
Why are u people so shameless.This is the same way u people intend to deceive villagers who can't read or write or have access to d social media!
This is an opinion piece by a die hard APC supporter and u have termed it to be a guardian editor piece with ur aim being that d dull wud then equate it to be that of the editorial team itself. Tufiakwa!!U people are so shameless with ur lies!!
Show anyone where the author of this piece has ever been an editor of any publication of the Guardian or be smeared in your childish folly!
Despite all these Buhari is still gaining in popularity.Tufiakwa again!!

Just listen to yourself.
Glad he is one of yours too exposing your lying predilections.

APC is a party filled woth con men.What do you expect from a party that is built on hatred and anger and sustained by lies and deciet.Tufiakwa on that party.The attitude of APC has rubbed off on their supporters making them children of anger and hate

#NeverAgain shall an illiterate,tryannical,sickly old fossil lead Nigeria
GEJ till heaven falls

papaejima1:
He did already.

He wasn't categorical about it, let him say he got those pictures directly from them via email or whatever channel.

Junk news. APC doesnt need newspapers such as guardian to spread any so called propaganda. The guardian have always been antiBuhari. so they should shut the forkk up.

I can only pretend i care.

Obiagelli:
He wasn't categorical about it, let him say he got those pictures directly from them via email or whatever channel.

He said he CALLED them. Did you not read the post?

He called them and they confirmed the pics while dismissing those doubting them as detractors.

doctokwus:
Why are u people so shameless.This is the same way u people intend to deceive villagers who can't read or write or have access to d social media!
This is an opinion piece by a die hard PDP supporter and u have termed it to be a guardian editor piece with ur aim being that d dull wud then equate it to be that of the editorial team itself. Tufiakwa!!U people are so shameless with ur lies!!
Show anyone where the author of this piece has ever been an editor of any publication of the Guardian or be smeared in your childish folly!
Despite all these Buhari is still gaining in popularity.Tufiakwa again!!

Wrong. It's an EDITORIAL piece by Abraham Ogbodo, who is the Guardian Newspapers' editor.
www.mediacareerng.org/2013/03/03/ogbodo-editor-the-guardian-on-sunday/

Interesting

The new slogan of APC....AAAAAAAA PPPPP CCCCC.......one week, one lie

MCMLXXVI:
Wrong. It's an EDITORIAL piece by Abraham Ogbodo, who is the Guardian Newspapers' editor.
www.mediacareerng.org/2013/03/03/ogbodo-editor-the-guardian-on-sunday/

no be Rueben abati errand boys

One Week one lie
APC should just tell Nigerians d truth about their real motives
For me all i see is a group of desperate politicians trying all means to wrestle power from gej, not for d benefit of Nigerians but for their selfish ambitions which is rule and loot

The national conference is a step in d right direction and must b implemented and dats more reason to vote Gej

san316:
Junk news. APC doesnt need newspapers such as guardian to spread any so called propaganda. The guardian have always been antiBuhari. so they should shut the forkk up.

I can only pretend i care.

Normal unintelligent crap from APC e-cows.

Obiagelli:
Editor please come out and categorically say that you got those pictures directly from lai Muhammed and Garba shehu. Please tell us you got it from them

The pictures were from Garba Shehu.
In my view, Transcorpgate and Airportgate were low points which should have lead to his dismissal.

TheOtherview:
The pictures were from Garba Shehu.
In my view, Transcorpgate and Airportgate were low points which should have lead to his dismissal.

I am yet to see where he said he got the pictures from Garba shehu.

Obiagelli:
I am yet to see where he said he got the pictures from Garba shehu.

One of my earlier posts on this subject.

queensmith:
APC have a website, a spokesperson and frequently address the public on ongoing events and activities, they also have twitter and a Facebook page. No where in any of these sites have they posted thus photograph and claimed this meeting took place on London. The original newspaper that apparently printed this is nowhere to be found and Linda Ikejis site is a gossip blog, not where one will go to ascertain facts.

Instead of you to follow common sense and understand Fayose has created an argument with himself, you are regurgitating information which has already been proven untrue, and allowing this senseless goat of a man to continue his spree of nonsense.

Queensmith - you advance a spirited argument, but I am afraid there is no getting around the fact that TANoids won this particular battle.
Change-agents let the guard down by circulating airport pics from 2013, as well another which showed Buhari going on a walkabout in that same year. To be frank, transcorpgate has to be viewed within the context of the misplaced euphoria generated by those earlier pics.

Of course this is not to suggest that TANoids have been particularly truthful with various claims made in the past few days.
From assertions about Buhari being stretchered out of Nigeria - when he held at least one public meeting in Abuja the same day he departed - to blatant denials about his tête-à-tête with Tony Blair, those urchins have demonstrated an apptitude for distortion and dishonesty.

My advise to change-agents is to take the moral high ground and not allow yourselves to be goaded into making statements that cannot stand up to serious scrutiny. I say this because while Shehu Garba started off well with the press release copied in below, he also chased the news reported elsewhere and ultimately succumbed to embellishment - as his latest SR interview shows.

PRESS RELEASE

Buhari, APC presidential candidate undertakes a short UK trip Abuja, Nigeria, 19 Feb 2015: The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari today (Thursday) left Abuja on a short working visit to the United Kingdom.

In the course of this visit, General Buhari is expected to hold meetings with key members of the British political establishment and interact with some global institutions with stakeholder interest in the affairs of Nigeria.

General Buhari would hopefully give a talk at the prestigious foreign policy hub, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatam House in London.

Signed:

Garba Shehu
Directorate of Media and Publicity
APC Presidential Campaign Organisation
Plot 781 Herbert Macaulay Way
Central Area
Abuja.

papaejima1:
He said he CALLED them. Did you not read the post?

He called them and they confirmed the pics while dismissing those doubting them as detractors.

He called Garba to confirm which picture exactly? Blair's or Transcorp? Till i see a where he stated that lai or Garba sent him those pictures then i take him seriously.

Another post...

queensmith:
So what you are saying is that there is indeed no evidence of Shehu making those statements? On the whole of this WWW?

We can conclude that he didn't then. Like a sensible being would.

Also I've read from many of the more reliable Nigerian publications the statement issued by the campaign spokesperson and the only mention of Kemi Fadojuti is those made by Femi Fani Kayode and Fayose.

No mention of any of this on APCS website or twitter feeds?

Phew! Found it.

Like I said earlier, I don't make light of issues like this.

" Hide nothing from the masses of our people. Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories" ~ Amilcar Cabral

Garba Shehu, APC Media Director speaks to SaharaTV about the elections, and Buhari's activities in London.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsl5L_lk4nk

TheOtherview:
One of my earlier posts on this subject.



Queensmith - you advance a spirited argument, but I am afraid there is no getting around the fact that TANoids won this particular battle.
Change-agents let the guard down by circulating airport pics from 2013, as well another which showed Buhari going on a walkabout in that same year. To be frank, transcorpgate has to be viewed within the context of the misplaced euphoria generated by those earlier pics.

Of course this is not to suggest that TANoids have been particularly truthful with various claims made in the past few days.
From assertions about Buhari being stretchered out of Nigeria - when he held at least one public meeting in Abuja the same day he departed - to blatant denials about his tête-à-tête with Tony Blair, those urchins have demonstrated an apptitude for distortion and dishonesty.

My advise to change-agents is to take the moral high ground and not allow yourselves to be goaded into making statements that cannot stand up to serious scrutiny. I say this because while Shehu Garba started off well with the press release copied in below, he also chased the news reported elsewhere and ultimately succumbed to embellishment - as his latest SR interview shows.

Was the Transcorp interview anywhere in this press release? I have checked all the known channels for buhari campaign information and i am yet to see the Transcorp interview in any of them.
What is the source of this picture? Where did the guardian editor get those pictures from?

Let him post an email confirmation or something. Certainly the pics were not sent to him in a phone call.

Obiagelli:
Was the Transcorp interview anywhere in this press release? I have checked all the known channels for buhari campaign information and i am yet to see the Transcorp interview in any of them.
What is the source of this picture? Where did the guardian editor get those pictures from?

Let him post an email confirmation or something. Certainly the pics were not sent to him in a phone call.

If I am telling you it is, it is because it is.
All those pictures were provided by Garba Shehu.

But why don't you listen to the SR interview he gave, to see exactly how he implicates himself?

Obiagelli:
Editor please come out and categorically say that you got those pictures directly from lai Muhammed and Garba shehu. Please tell us you got it from them

ma, ya too Behind/fine for dis kinda post step d game up.

Obiagelli:
He called Garba to confirm which picture exactly? Blair's or Transcorp? Till i see a where he stated that lai or Garba sent him those pictures then i take him seriously.

When you read the paper then.

TheOtherview:
If I am telling you it is, it is because it is.
All those pictures were provided by Garba Shehu.

But why don't you listen to the SR interview he gave, to see exactly how he implicates himself?

The funniest part is that Garba does not share campaign photos, there are only 2 people with such responsibility and neither of them shared the Transcorp photo

Obiagelli:
Was the Transcorp interview anywhere in this press release? I have checked all the known channels for buhari campaign information and i am yet to see the Transcorp interview in any of them.
What is the source of this picture? Where did the guardian editor get those pictures from?

Let him post an email confirmation or something. Certainly the pics were not sent to him in a phone call.

Press release sent to Premium times -- February 21, 2015

According to a press statement from the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), Chatham House will post the event and send out invites on Monday, February 23.

The statement, signed by spokesperson Garba Shehu, reveals that as part of his ongoing engagement in the United Kingdom, Mr. Buhari had an interview Friday with a local medium, the “All Eyes on Africa TV Show” with Kemi Fajodutimi and met with Tony Blair on Saturday, February 21.

Mr. Shehu disclosed that Buhari left the London residence of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, at about 1.30 pm U.K. time
and returned to his rented flat in the city.

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/177284-buhari-to-speak-at-chatham-house-thursday.html