OGHIADOMHE APPEALS TO MEDIA NOT TO ASSIST POLITICIANS OVERHEAT POLITY

The Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, has urged journalists  to sieve statements made by politicians in order to remove the inflammatory ones that could overheat the polity.

Oghiadomhe, during an interactive session with reporters at the State House, Abuja, while applauding the media for supporting Jonathan's administration,  urged journalists to refrain from encouraging politicians to derail democracy.

Recalling the effects of the civilian war in Nigeria between 1967 and 1970  on families,  he warned that not even the effect of HIV/AIDS could  be comparable to the distress, dislocation, displacement then.

He said in view of this, none of those who witnessed the civil war or lived in the war zone would wish Nigeria to go through another war again.

He said:  "Let me say that while recognising the fact that you (the media) have been very supportive of this administration, you can see that for some strange reason, people are deliberately heating up the polity in Nigeria today.

"When you overheat the polity, it is not in the general interest of Nigerians. Some people may feel that politics is a competitive business and they are doing this against the ruling party or against an interest or whatever, but politics must be played within reasonable criteria and whatever we do we must avoid those things that would threaten the corporate existence of the country, those things that can derail democracy.

"We should never at anytime believe or take anything for granted. We are Nigerians; we have no other home like Idiagbon and co said in those days and we cannot afford to push ourselves into the situation some other countries have found themselves.

"When people chant war songs and all that it is because perhaps they do not live in Borno, they do not live in Adamawa or Yobe or in some parts of Bauchi or Kano, maybe some of them are too old or they now have dementia for those who are old enough to remember what happened between 1967 and 1970.

"So we should as much as possible because you (the media) are also the conscience of society refrain from joining the politicians in their fight.   When the politicians are going mad, don't report them in that madness because that inflames the society.  The consequence of that inflammation will not affect that politician alone he's just driving his own personal interest he doesn't care how it will affect the corporate entity called Nigeria.

"So through you I know I am talking to the entire media in Nigeria we must learn to do things and present issues in a way that will make our politicians to behave because the onus is on you. "

Source: Thisday