Nigeria’s Information and National Orientation Minister, Mohammed Idris, has denied reports that some ministers were billed to present a scorecard of the Tinubu Presidency to global media in London.
Media reports monitored by Nigerian Anchor indicated that Bode Adeyemi, Project Internal Coordinator of the President Bola Tinubu Midterm Legacy Projects Review Committee, told journalists this Tuesday in Abuja that some ministers and heads of departments and agencies will present their ministries’ success stories at an International Press Conference in London, the United Kingdom.
Mr. Adeyemi had listed the ministers to embark on the trip to include Mr. Nyesom Wike (FCT), Dave Umahi (Works) and Olubumi Tunji-Ojo (Interior).
Other officials of the Federal Government mentioned by Adeyemi were the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe; the Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Usman Osidi; the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacheous Adedeji; and several others are expected to address the international media.
The move was greeted by massive outcry as public policy analysts, the media and social media operators condemned the planned international media conference.
Briefing the media this Friday in Abuja, Idris resorted to subterfuge by deflecting from the subject matter to say that the Ministerial Press Briefing Sessions have not been relocated from Abuja to London without addressing the exact claims of Mr. Adeyemi.
“The insinuation that the press briefing session is relocating abroad is false because we have our responsibility first to the Nigerian nation.
“That is why we invite these ministers to come here and address Nigerians and those outside the country, directly from the National Press Centre, here in Abuja.
“The only platform that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation provided for the briefing session, is right here,” he said.
Idris said, Umahi who was falsely reported to be among the ministers scheduled to unveil President Tinubu’s achievements at a press briefing in London, had denied the report and also present at the Abuja briefing.
The Friday session was attended by the Ministers of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, and Works, Sen. David Umahi.
