By Cross Udo, Abuja

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has formally assumed office as the official presidential spokesman.

Ngelale appointment as Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity was announced on Monday with effect from July 31.

Speaking with State House correspondents, Ngelale, who served as a Senior Special Assistant to former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo assured Nigerians that the era of government spokespersons talking down on them was gone.

He said that Tinubu’s administration is for the masses irrespective of political affiliations, adding that Nigerians will henceforth have no hindrance from accessing the Presidential Villa.

He said, “I humbly accepted the appointment of President Bola Tinubu to serve as his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and as the official spokesperson of the President. I believe the first and most important point I would want to make is that this institution belongs to Nigerians.

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“It does not belong to any political parties, it does not belong to any public officials. It belongs to over 200 million citizens of this country both at home and abroad.

“And it is with that understanding that we will be engaging the world. We believe it is the right, not a privilege but the right of every Nigerian to have full access to the affairs of the Presidential villa, into the affairs of the office of the President and the office of the Vice president. 

“We will be more open in terms of providing access to information to radio networks, television networks, newspapers, and online news media than ever before.

“We are committed to ensuring that there is a zero-tolerance policy on every spokesperson and every media functionary that works here in the government in terms of how we relate with Nigerians through the press.”

*Says gone are days when presidency spokespersons speak arrogantly to Nigerians

“Gone forever, by the grace of God, are the days when government spokesmen and women will speak down to Nigerians or would use condescending language on Nigerians and would display some form of institutional arrogance on Nigerians.

“That would not happen under my leadership. I want to be very clear, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man of empathy. He is committed to the cause of opening the Presidency to Nigerians for the benefit of not just Nigerians but for the benefit of all public office holders because it is in the interest of all public office holders to know that they are being watched so that they can be held accountable to deliver on the promises of the President in terms of the execution of government policies.

“And we are going to, in very short order, announce a series of very tangible measures that have to do with the opening up of this institution daily more deeply and comprehensively than has ever been seen before,” he added.

He informed journalists that he had the privilege of speaking with his predecessors, adding that he believes in institutional memory.