The immediate past Adamawa State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh, has criticized the Punch newspaper editorial on President Muhammadu Buhari describing it as partisan.
Sajoh in a statement in Yola said it was wrong for individuals or organisations to arrogate to themselves the custodianship of right and wrong because of their vintage position.
“Whatever is their motive, they got it all wrong. It is indeed absolutely wrong for individuals and organizations to arrogate to themselves custodianship of right and wrong simply because they have capacity to do so.
Honestly my understanding of what Punch is doing is that they want to achieve three goals by their action.
“The first is that they are promoting their morbid hatred for President Muhammadu Buhari beyond reasonable limits. Secondly they are using subtle means to incite the public against the President and the Government he leads since their support for their preferred candidate in the 2019 election did not yield the expected dividends. And lastly they want to precipitate crisis in the manner of the sponsors of the call for a revolution meant to generate.
“Punch is indeed taking advantage of the same freedom they are advocating for to question it’s existence. What the likes of Punch fail to realize is that freedom has limitations and entails responsibility. Every individual’s freedom ends exactly where the next persons freedom begin.
“The freedom of those opposed to the President should respect the right of those who support the President to do so. Punch or anyone for that matter should not arrogate to themselves the prerogative of determining right and wrong,” Sajoh said.
He observed that the newspaper was trying to advanced the interest of political tendencies that we’re roundly rejected by the electorate at the polls and to incite the public under the guise of freedom of speech.
“The vocal minority which Punch represent should not continue to take the silent majority for granted. We all have rights and the rights of a vocal minority cannot and should not override the rights of the silent majority.
“We are appalled at the fact that some of those Punch is advocating for were the same persons who connived to share money meant to prosecute a war against Insurgency in the North East which killed our brothers and sisters.
When you claim to protect the rights of those who took monies meant for arms and ammunition’s thus causing the untimely death of many soldiers and civilians, what of rights of those killed,” Sajoh queried.
He said such double standard by Punch was unacceptable and stands condemned, adding that those who voted for President and still support him has as much rights to exist under his leadership as those who oppose him.
