The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to news that the Nigerian Government has, through Aster Legal, contracted the services of DCI Group (a Public Affairs and lobbying firm) in the United States to "assist the Nigerian government in communicating its actions to protect Nigerian Christian communities…". This contract is to last for six months and thereafter be automatically renewed for another six months.

Th PDP described the revelation as disturbing as it is shameful, lamenting that a government with a full Ministry of Information and a litany of media aides will be paying a foreign firm to launder its image.

The party said the action is a clear indication that the President does not have confidence in the Ministry of Information and his media aides, whereas the Ministry of Information is manned by seasoned professionals led by a Public Relations expert, who has in the last few years exhibited maturity and responsibility in the management of government information.

The PDP then asked for clarification from the presidency on the following:

1. Was this contract budgeted for in the 2025 budget?

2. Why was it done through a private law firm and not the Federal Ministry of Justice?

3. What are the duties of the Information and Public Relations officers in the diplomatic missions abroad?

4. What are the Key Performance Indicators for this contract?

Additionally, we remind the All Progressives Congress- led federal government that no lobbying or strategic communication firm can create narratives that will replace the lived experiences of the people, in contemporary times, where the world is a global village.

"If the President Bola Tinubu administration is desirous of changing the perception of the country abroad, it should invest more in the security of lives and property, not in deceptive communication. The undeniable truth is that Nigerians have not felt this insecure, even during the civil war.

"The President should be more interested in ensuring that all Nigerians, irrespective of religion, are safe and free to worship God in their chosen way, and that mass killings are reduced to the barest minimum.
When these feats are achieved, Nigerians will reflect safety, and that will concomitantly dictate the global perception of Nigerians.

"Finally, we call on the President to reduce his administration's appetite for easy public validation through ephemeral optics and rather concentrate on the hard task of providing sustainable solutions to the nation's primary challenge - insecurity," the party said.

ASA