The media today was inundated with reports that the Federal Government of Nigeria was shopping abroad for a PR firm that would launder its image for a whooping $800 million fee. The report named some foreign PR firms and alleged that the petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke was in the centre of the PR project.
The Trent did not report the story because we were unable to get confirmation about the alleged PR buy from credible sources.
This evening, May 27, 2014, Reuben Abati, Senior Special Advisor to President Jonatha has debunked the story, calling it a rumour and baseless.
Abati said:
Reports in national and foreign media that the Federal Government is currently in the process of recruiting an international public relations firm to “counter mounting criticism both inside and outside the country” are completely false and baseless.
The suggestion that the Federal Government intends to spend a staggering sum of $800 Million on the phantom public relations effort to ease “increasing pressure over its response to the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls” is also wholly untrue.
Coming as they do, at a particularly difficult and sensitive time for the entire nation, the Federal Government considers the reports of a drive to recruit consultants to launder its image highly insensitive, deplorable, absurd and very malicious.
The Federal Government’s topmost priority for now is not public relations or image laundering but national security and the ongoing effort to ensure the safe return of the abducted college girls.
We therefore condemn the attempt by purveyors of the bogus reports to incite the Nigerian public against the Federal Government through the circulation of falsehoods .
