Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Anti-Corruption Network Asks Guild of Editors to Sanction Presidential Spokesman, Reuben Abati, For Violating Professional Ethics
Reuben Abati
By SaharaReporters, New York
Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) has called on the Nigerian Guild of Editors to sanction Dr. Reuben Abati, the spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan, for breaching the ethics of journalism.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Olarewaju Suraju, CSNAC affirmed that truth is the cornerstone of journalism, according to the Code of Ethics for Nigerian journalists, and every journalist should strive diligently to ascertain the truth in every event.
Quoting the Code of Ethics, it said, “The public has a right to know. Factual, accurate balance and fair reporting is the ultimate objective of good journalism and the basis for earning public trust and confidence. The journalist therefore should refrain from publishing inaccurate and misleading information”.
On that ground, CSNAC said that Abati has on several occasions breached the provision, citing the following:
• Stating that the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, was hale and hearty a claim contradicted by the President during a media chat on November 18 where he confirmed that his wife was recuperating from illness;
• Releasing a statement to the media on November 14 on behalf of the president stating that the president had cancelled the Manitoba Power contract, a statement also contradicted by the President during the media chat when he said that the contract had not been revoked but was being regularized as due process had not been followed in awarding it.
• Telling State House correspondents on August 26 2012 that the Government was in talks with Boko Haram, a claim dismissed by the President at the media chat when he categorically said, “There is no dialogue between Boko Haram and Government.”
Calling for professional sanction on the presidential adviser CSNAC reminded the Guild of Editors, “We trust that in line with the provisions of your constitution, you would preserve the traditions and standards of the practice of journalism in Nigeria by canvassing a strict adherence with the code of ethics of the profession.”
CSNAC is a coalition of over 150 anti-corruption organizations whose primary aim is to constructively combat corruption vigorously and to ensure the effective monitoring of the various anti-graft agencies in the fight against corruption and to enthrone transparency, accountability, probity, and total commitment in the fight to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.
Text of the press statement:
CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK AGAINST CORRUPTION,LAGOS
THE PRESIDENT
NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS
Dear Sir;
PETITION AGAINST DR. REUEBN ABATI
Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) is a coalition of over hundred and fifty Anti- corruption organizations whose primary aim is to constructively combat corruption vigorously and to ensure the effective monitoring of the various Anti-graft agencies in its activities in the fight against corruption and to enthrone transparency, accountability, probity, and total commitment in the fight to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.
According to the Code of ethics for Nigerian Journalists, truth is the cornerstone of journalism and every journalist should strive diligently to ascertain the truth in every event. The Code of ethics further states under the provision for accuracy and fairness that,
“The public has a right to know. Factual, accurate balance and fair reporting is the ultimate objective of good journalism and the basis for earning public trust and confidence. The journalist therefore should refrain from publishing inaccurate and misleading information”.
We believe, Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, has on following occasions breached the above provision;
Dr. Abati stated that the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan was hale and hearty. The president contradicted this statement during a media chat where he confirmed that the first lady was recupperating from illness.
On Wednesday, 14th November 2012, Dr. Abati, released a press statement to the media on behalf of the president stating that the president had cancelled the Manitoba Power contract. However, during a media chat with the President, on Sunday, November 18th 2012, he said that the contract had not been revoked but was being regularized as due process had not been followed in awarding the contract.
On Sunday 26th August 2012, Dr. Abati told the state house correspondents that the Government was in talks with Boko Haram. The President dismissed this claim stating that “there is no dialogue between Boko Haram and Government”
In the circumstances and by virtue of the code of ethics for Nigeria journalists whom Dr. Reuben Abati is a renowned member, we request that Dr. Abati be sanctioned for breach of the code of ethics for Nigerian Journalist.
We trust that in line with the provisions of your constitution, you would preserve the traditions and standards of the practice of journalism in Nigeria by canvassing a strict adherence with the code of ethics of the profession.
Yours sincerely
OLANREWAJU SURAJU
Chairman
Comments
11 comment(s)
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WHO DO WE BELIEVE?
Submitted by Man_Enough (not verified) on December 6, 2012 - 17:14.
It is even safer to believe Abati; from the incoherent way GEJ is going.
DONT BLAME ABATI
Submitted by NAGODI (not verified) on December 6, 2012 - 14:38.
IN THE BATTLE BETWEEN GEJ AND ABATI I WOULD RATHER SIDE WITH ABATI. WHO DO YOU THINK WILL REMEMBER HIS LINES BETTER, A FORMER EDITOR OR A CONFIRMED NINCOMPOOP? THE PRESIDENT IS THE KIND OF MAN WHO WILL FAIL AN EXAM EVEN IF HE IS ASKED TO COPY THE ANSWERS, SO READING A CUE-CARD RIGHTSIDE UP IN A "LIVE" PRESIDENTIAL CHAT AFTER A FEW BOTTLES OF OGOGORO IS INDEED A CHALLENGE.
The man formerly called Reuben
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 6, 2012 - 13:14.
Once upon a time...time time. There was a guy called Reuben, he was an articulate young man that aptly writes against corruption in a land called Naija. However in recent times gained specialisation in praising ineptitude, with a knack for talking with is mouth full of.....
Fake-lore
Submitted by gerd meuer (not verified) on December 6, 2012 - 11:31.
you must admit:
da man is well-dressed,
fake-loric, I mean.
Prof-of-penkele-fake-fashion
CSNAC too funny
Submitted by Pure Nigerian (not verified) on December 5, 2012 - 20:08.
@Fe.muwe, I cannot agree with u more. Some actions taken by some groups in Nigeria seems to amuse me. Abati may be a journalist but at the moment, he is not. He is working as a deceit master for pres. Jonathan so, CSNAC action in my view is completely misplaced. Nigerians by now knows where Abati stood in the history of Nigeria: Lies. This group should waste their energy on those currently practising jounalizing and not those who are in the payroll of the govt. By the Journalising is dead in Nigeria. Period.
WHEN THE HEAD IS ROTTEN
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 5, 2012 - 19:16.
Research has shown that if you are not corrupt you can't work with GEJ administration.All the ministers represent GEJ in their various ministries,am not dissappointed in Reuben Abati,Labaran Maku,Emeka Nwogu and NTA and others.
under the control of late abacha and buhari-aka d tinuboozes
Submitted by DERI (not verified) on December 5, 2012 - 18:58.
These molue bus drivers turned anti corruption crusaders by tinubu, do not seem to have anything else to think about-except to cook up silly ideas for bakare et buhari-what is the meaning of the write-up If I amy ask? The entire article has no meaning! People who do not know the difference between a PR man and a practising journalist, should allow Abati do the work he was hired for in aso rock-period. Exactly the reasons why I said GEJ would be better off with Niboro than Abati-cause of the type of flies he will attract from the camp of Buhari and tinubu from the West and d fulani North- Again where was these mammy water spirit led anti corruption crusaders when abati was allocated a plot of land in abuja? Was Dino the leader of these 419 group in Siberia when it happened? If Dino had any brains left in him, he would have distanced himself from d birth day party of Tinubu-or be praying against the spirit of womanizing troubling his smelly soul here!
Ruben is Dead
Submitted by Seyi Macaulay (not verified) on December 5, 2012 - 18:19.
I have been vindicated, when I wrote “Ruben is Dead “A Poem, I had my Prophetic foresight about the Personality in question. The transformation of a man must be for better, But this has revealed the motives of a once celebrated Chief Editor, for whatever the price of his demotion from his now” lost honor”, the enemies of Truth caught him, it was a calculated conspiracy by the band of sycophants around power, They Knew about the fickleness of Boss’s intellectual dexterity and they needed a high priced representative in the media. He was fooled like Esau for a Morsel that robbed him of all his Labor No I mean Honor, Now I know why they wrote “All labor lost” even if he becomes BILL GATES with tax payers money It is all Vanity at the grave. his conscience will hunt him for what he did and what he failed to do. May we never have another Ruben in Guardian or in the Media. Goodbye to honor. Ruben is dead
http://saharareporters.com/letter/rueben-dead-poem
Reuben Abati had a price
Submitted by Attanacious Enyimba (not verified) on December 5, 2012 - 16:01.
We now know that even the self righteous Abati had a price.All his articles, self righteous preachments and progressive campaigns of the past has all being consigned to the hypocritic dustbin of history.Tomorrow once he is thrown out,we will remind him of what he did today to support a failed clueless regime,the worst Nigeria has ever witnessed.
Well done Sahara reporters on this,you news today have been put excellently,I remain a well wisher and constructive critic of your efforts
CSNAC too funny
Submitted by Fe.muwe. on December 5, 2012 - 15:54.
guys, here is a news flash for una: abati is not a journalist, he is a presidential mouthpiece, and the correct and real job of presidential mouthpiece is to tell lies but not to be caught doing do. it is the same story in washington DC or in libya etc and so on. which presidential spokesman in the whole world has ever gone back to their former profession of journalism? therefore please go and sit down because journalist ethics do not apply to this abati fellow any more. abati's only professional failure is not his habitual telling of lies but his being caught. it means either (A) that he is an incompetent liar (na good thing be that) or else (B) that whoever fed him his pathetic talking points on the cited occasions wanted to get rid of him. or probably both A & B! but ethics no day inside.
WAS ABATI GOING ROGUE,OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY?
Submitted by osita DIOKA (not verified) on December 5, 2012 - 15:50.
The stark Presidential denial about negotiations with terrorists left Nigerians bewildered and left the media wing of Aso-rock without any credibility to fall back on.
Abati could have been operating outside the policy of the government he claims to represent,this perceived roguish disposition is misleading and deceitful,it spells a clear and present danger to our National interests within and outside Nigeria.
Abati ought to have consulted his Principle on taking points but chose to sell his own contraptions to the Nigerian masses in a brazen fit of disrespect and utter disregard for the dangerous consequences of his antics.Nigerians are fed up with this Man's shenanigans,it time to show him the door.
