Speaking to Trustsports, the Chief Press Secretary in the National Sports Commission, Mr. Tony Ohaeri, disclosed that there have been attempts by a veteran sports journalist with one of the leading national newspapers (not Sunday Trust) to bring to question the ability of the minister to effectively administer sports in the country.
He said after the minister’s interactive session with the sporting press in Lagos, the reporter as if suffering from auditory impediment reported the minister out of context even as no other reporter who attended the epoch making event heard and reported same.
“Contrary to reports that the minister of sports during his interaction with the press in Lagos erroneously claimed that Nigeria was a force to reckon with in long distance races, the minister only said he would ensure that the country’s potentials in long distance races are tapped and developed to the fullest.
“Furthermore, the reporter as if suffering from auditory impediment deliberately misquoted the minister who actually said if Olympic swimming pools are built in the Riveraine states like Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta, the country could produce world beaters in the sport”, he stated further.
Mr.Ohaeri in addition expressed shock at how the reporter in question wants the general public to believe that as highly educated as he is, the minister does not know the difference between attitude and altitude.
He also questioned what the reporter wanted to achieve by attempting to undermine the intellectual ability of the minister who he said is a first class graduate of one of Nigeria’s first generation universities.
“ In addition, the highly educated minister did not at anytime fail to differentiate between attitude and altitude as claimed by the reporter because as a first class graduate of one of the first generation universities in Nigeria and highly exposed person, the minister wouldn’t have made that pedestrian mistake” he said.
Mr. Ohaeri therefore cautioned attention seeking sports journalists to desist from blackmail and intimidation in attempt to gain the minister’s attention.
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