Presidency Reacts As Newspaper Changes Buhari's Title To Major General

The presidency has released a statement as its response to a Newspaper editorial which strongly criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s disrespect for the rule of law.

The Newspaper in an editorial published on Wednesday highlighted some of the instances where the Buhari administration had violated court orders including the treatment of former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.

In the editorial the newspaper said it would henceforth refer to the president by his last military title when he ruled Nigeria as a military dictator.

The presidency in a statement by Femi Adesina described the Newspaper’s stance as a ‘testimony of free speech’ under Mr Buhari.


Read Mr Adesina’s full statement reads:


''A newspaper says it will henceforth address President Muhammadu Buhari by his military rank of Major General.

Nothing untoward in it. It is a rank the President attained by dint of hard work before he retired from the Nigerian Army. And today, constitutionally, he is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

All over the world, just as in our country, a large number of retired military officers are now democrats. It does not make those who did not pass through military service better than them.

Rather than being pejorative, addressing President Buhari by his military rank is another testimony to free speech and freedom of the press, which this administration (or regime, if anyone prefers: it is a matter of semantics) has pledged to uphold and preserve''.