Presidency reacts to PUNCH: No problem calling Buhari Major General

DC4A356D-2360-486D-8EA7-C4D87AD95F1B

Buhari with armed forces chiefs

No big deal in being called Major general, Buhari is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Here with Service Chiefs , Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of Army, Lt Gen T.Y Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu

The Presidency has brushed aside the decision of Punch newspapers to henceforth refer to President Muhammadu Buhari, with his military rank of Major-General.

According to President Buhari’s media adviser, Femi Adesina, there is no big deal about the decision and rather, it further reinforces the existence of freedom of speech and freedom of the press in the country.

“Nothing untoward in it. It is a rank the President attained by dint of hard work before he retired from the Nigerian Army. And today, constitutionally, he is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces”, he said.

Related News

“All over the world, just as in our country, a large number of retired military officers are now democrats. It does not make those who did not pass through military service better than them.

“Rather than being pejorative, addressing President Buhari by his military rank is another testimony to free speech and freedom of the press, which this administration (or regime, if anyone prefers: it is a matter of semantics) has pledged to uphold and preserve”.

PUNCH announced its decision today in a strong editorial, in which it deplored the administration’s human rights abuses, invasion of the court of law by DSS goons, in order to re-arrest Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Saharareporters and convener of #RevolutionNow movement

Load more