The Presidency has warned the media against excessive criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that “too much criticism” from the media may send the country into a tailspin.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, made the observation at the State House, Abuja, when he received the Ace Leadership Award presented to him by the management of Love FM 104.5 Abuja as part of its Merit Awards 2022.
In a statement signed by the State House Director (Information), Abiodun Oladunjoye, the Presidency solicited continued partnership with the media to help the government and citizens realise the Nigeria of their dream.
While expressing his appreciation to the organisation for considering him worthy of the award, Adesina said, “The media should partner with the government instead of being adversaries. What you find in the media at times is that they are so adversarial to the government, which does not have to be. This is our country, and we don’t have any other one.
“If they send the country into a tailspin through too much criticism, even the media won’t even be able to do its work. So, we should always bear in mind that it is our country and whatever we make of it is what we get.”
Presenting the award, the representative of Love FM, Ewuzie Lilian, expressed the organisation’s pride in the work of Mr Adesina as a journalist, having got to the peak of his career through dint of hard work.
She said, “We are happy to identify with you because we know how you started. You rose through the ladder and here you are, still doing the media work. We know it is not everybody that will accept what you are doing.”
She assured the spokesman of the support of Love FM despite some reports that suggest otherwise.
“Sometimes we criticise you, we learnt that from you anyway. Before you got here, you were criticising others. We have come to say congratulations despite all that has happened.
“We are proud at the level you have reached and pray that God will sustain you and give you more wisdom to deal with the challenges associated with the job,” she added.