Reuben Abati

Kelvin Ebiri Special Assistant (Media) to Gov. Nyesom Wike writes on exchange of words between his boss and media practitioner, Reuben Abati.

In recent times, the governor and eminent Nigerians have traversed the length and breadth of the State to commission or flag-off various development projects in the education, healthcare, housing, social welfare, sports sectors. On April 3rd, 2019, he was re-elected as the Governor of Rivers State in the 2019 general elections. In 2007, he was appointed the Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi between 2007 and 2011. It is on record that as Minister he spearheaded a nationwide reform of the nation’s education system. Such boasting of the sojourn of his professional practice, he thinks, puts him on such pedestal to say Governor does not have the capacity and intellect to teach him journalism. It does appear that Abati seemed to be so self involved, and driven by ‘a-should-be-known’ vested interest about the inner happenings in PDP, otherwise, why fume about the resolve of governor Wike on what he would be unveiling in the coming days. Freedom of expression does not license a journalist, no matter how highly placed, even inadvertently, to insult the Governor of Rivers State. The sacredness of facts is embedded in the truth that is adjudged as absolute, eternal and eschatological. In his zest to impress some extraneous influences, Abati merely discredited journalism ethics which prohibits him, in any manner, to ridicule, cast aspersions on, or degrade any person by reason of his political conviction, not even the office of a state governor. It is this bitterness that has manifested because he failed to realise that decency should be his watch word, particularly, when he is on live television. Excerpt of the interaction of Governor Wike is captured thus; “People like Reuben Abati, former Press Secretary to the President, sometimes, when you read or hear what he said, you begin to wonder where are we heading to. The governor, observed and regretted that some Journalists like Dr. Reuben Abati, had made some uninformed assertions on happenings in the PDP and did not bother to check the facts.