Former aide to ex President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati has described government information handlers as spin doctors, saying their only objective is to protect their bosses.
The former Editorial Board Chairman of the Guardian Newspapers, who spoke at a two-day journalism training organised by The Next Edition Centre For Investigative Journalism And Gender Advocacy, in collaboration with Policy Alert and the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Akwa Ibom chapter, noted that the information handlers are not interested in engaging with journalists to the extent of divulging information that would put their principals in bad light.
Presenting a paper on ‘How to Engage Constructively with State Sources and Government Information Managers,’ Abati said: “Most government information managers would have been journalists or they would have gone through some media training. Most of them would not want to engage with you if the information you seek will show their boss or them in a bad light. Journalists who go into government as information managers face a peculiar problem. A government information manager is a spin doctor. He’s not interested in giving you information that you will use to ridicule government. He is supposed to help his boss and the government look good.”
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Notwithstanding this, however, he said that for the media to be effective and state actors to be more efficient, both parties must build a relationship that will allow constructive engagement adding “such constructive engagement should be built on shared goals in form of partnership, mutual trust and confidence, regular dialogue and consultation. Once there is a consensus around a common good, both the state and the media can work together to strengthen citizen participation, service delivery and a formulation of a public service agenda.”
While encouraging state actors to endorse the media and acknowledge its importance in shaping and influencing public opinion, Abati also advised the media to be responsible in the discharge of their duties, by practicing within the confines of the law and ethics of the profession.
