Presidency Lambasts Economist Magazine For ‘Malicious’ Writeup On Jonathan

The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed an editorial by a UK-based
magazine, Economist, in which the paper described the president as a failed
leader and endorsed Muhammadu Buhari, his chief rival in the forthcoming
elections.

According to the paper, while President Jonathan has utterly
failed as the president, with no capacity to tackle growing insurgency and
widespread corruption, Buhari is a former dictator with blood on his hands. But
not withstanding it is better to vote for a dictator than a failed president,
the paper said.

However in a press statement signed by Reuben Abati, the
Special Adviser to the president on Media & Publicity, the presidency noted
that the remarks by the magazine is baseless, jaundiced and rather malicious.

The statement argued that though the magazine may pretend
it’s not aware of the president’s transformation of the country in the last six
years, it’s brash editorial is not enough to deceive voting Nigerians, who have
witnessed the transformation themselves: “Nigerians, unlike the magazine’s
opinion writers, will actually vote in the country’s forthcoming presidential
elections, know(ing) that President Jonathan has worked very hard to fulfill
all the major promises he made to them on assumption of office”.

The statement also said; “Nigerians and other readers of the
usually urbane, thoughtful and well-reasoned editorial opinions of the
Economist will be shocked that the magazine has taken the very ill-considered
decision to  throw its weight behind a
candidate who, as a former military dictator, curtailed freedom of speech,
ordered the kidnapping of opponents and jailing of journalists,  and  is
accused of incitement to violence and grave human rights violations in
Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation”.

It read on: “Contrary to the Economist’s assertions,
Nigeria, under has made very considerable progress. In spite of the significant
challenges of terrorism and insurgency the nation faces today,  President Jonathan has ensured that Nigeria
has become  a more vibrant democracy
with  free media, an independent
judiciary, free, fair and credible elections, and greater respect for human
rights”.

“The Economist is entitled to its erroneous opinion on who
represents the best leadership option for Nigeria in the coming elections, but
happily for the country, it is not the magazine’s lead writers, but more
knowledgeable and patriotic Nigerians who actually work and live in the
country, that will vote and re-elect President Jonathan for a second term in
office. They will do so, because unlike the Economist’s opinion writers, they
understand that a Buhari Presidency will, for their beloved country, represent
a stark setback and retrogression from the tremendous ongoing positive
transformation of Nigeria under President Jonathan’s leadership”.