The week was a week of controversies within the media circles as a gale of appointments swept through the industry. But the most controversial appointment was that of Festus Adedayo, a rabid critic of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, government, who, within twenty four hours, was appointed Special Assistant media by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and again sacked. His appointment has generated more controversies than any appointment in recent past.
It appeared there was pressures on the Senate President not to appoint an outsider-one not sympathetic to the APC cause-a pressure he appeared to have succumbed to.
Though it was not clear who exactly put the pressure on him, supporters of the ruling party had taken to the social media to protest his appointment.
The Opposition believe that it portrays Lawan as a rubber stamp and weak Senate President. They refer to his unwillingness to debate President Buhari’s June 12 speech as evidence that Nigeria has lost the Legislative Arm to the control of the Executive arm, thereby making nonsense of separation of powers.
Beside Adedayo, the Deputy Senate President appointed Otive Igbuzor as Chief of staff, Yemi Odunuga and Lara wise as Media Aids. Though the appointments were hailed by the APC supporters as “in house”, and therefore broached no controversy, the appointees are all seasoned journalists of both print and electronic media.
They are all said to be sympathetic to the ruling party one way or the other.
Other appointments are Steve Osuji, as Media Aid to governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo state, to be assisted by Adaora Onyechere, untill recently of the African Independent Television, AIT. Gbenga Aruleba, ace on Air personality, is said to have climbed into the board of Media through appointment by Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state.
It is not clear whether Adedayo accepted his appointment before he was sacked. However, he is currently on record as having got the shortest media appointment in Nigeria media history.
