Femi Adesina, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, says the person who leaked the draft speech of the president hours to his last nationwide broadcast, has been caught.
Buhari had addressed the nation on Monday, extending the lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun by a week.
He also commended health workers on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 and adopted some of the recommendations of governors about the pandemic.
Among the recommendations he listed for implementation are use of face mask in public, restriction of interstate movement and imposition of dusk to dawn curfew.
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A version — full of errors — circulated on social media at least four hours before the president eventually read what was different in some ways from the draft.
In a piece entitled: “Enemies of the state”, Adesina said the individual who leaked the memo had been traced and is now “paying for his evil action”.
“President Muhammadu Buhari was to broadcast to the country by 8 p.m, to give an update on the battle against COVID-19, and what becomes of the lockdown that had lasted four weeks, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun States. Kano was also a point of heavy interest, with the strange deaths ravaging the state. Was it COVID-19 or not?” Adesina wrote.
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“As the country waited for the President with great expectations, a purported copy of the broadcast began to circulate on social media from about 4 p.m. Whodunnit?
“I took a look at the circulating document, and within one minute, I knew that it was a rogue copy. What immediately gave it away was the paragraphing. It was completely different from the one I had been part of producing, and which had been recorded for broadcast by the President.
“If the person that leaked the unedited draft of the broadcast had access to more sensitive national documents, he would do the same thing. If he cottons on information that could sell Nigeria to the enemy, he would gladly do it. Thou art in the midst of foes, watch and pray.
“Igbo people speak of the proverbial lizard that ruined his own mother’s funeral. That was what the hidden hostile hand did. But he forgot that in these days of technology, almost everything leaves a trail. Before the end of that evening, computer evidences had narrowed down the suspect, and he was already answering for his evil action.”
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TheCable had done a comparative analysis of the draft and the original one read by the president.
6 comments
Mr Adesina, with all due respect, the buck stops with you. The President’s first address to the nation on COVID 19 about a month ago was also circulating before the end of his live broadcast. You need to take responsibility for this slip. I doubt we’re interested in the arrest of the person who leaked the speech.
Well, that is your cup of tea. All of you there, from the president down to the lowest, are the same. You have completely ruined this country and turned her into a laughing stock. Nemesis will one day catch up with you guys.
Mr FEMI ADESINA, What type of democratic government are Nigerians? You alone judge the person who disclosed the information? Where are Nigerian senators and judges? I asked where are these senators and judges who gave you the power to judge and execute the person who does not have freedom of expression in your Nigeria. You have also committed an offense for having performed work in which you are not named. Bravo Mr. Perfect.
That’s not important at the moment. What are your strategies to fighting covid-19. Enough of these politics, let’s make good of our time, and how we can curb this pandemic. The target should at all cost to save lives. My heart bleeds!
Every time there is a life threatning problem in this country,instead of coming up with a solution, you guys will be trying to blame someone that is inconsequential to the problem or the solution. someone to use as a cover up for your lack of incompetence. what has leaked speech got to do with what is before us?
Quoting u Femi “It was completely different from the one I had been part of producing, and which had been recorded for broadcast by the President” Does live broadcast supposed to be recorded? So u guys played a recorded broadcast to us and called it a live broadcast?