DAAR Communications Plc, parent company of Africa Independent Television (AIT) has clarified its award of African President of the Year to President Muhammadu Buhari at the 3rd DAAR Awards on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the International Conference Center (ICC), Abuja.
Following President Buhari’s announcement as the recipient of the award, some Nigerians took to the social media to express their displeasure and anger considering President Buhari had lost a Twitter poll conducted for the same award category. The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame won the Twitter poll.
DAAR Awards for African President of the Year. @MBuhari @PaulKagame @NAkufoAddo @UKenyatta #DAARawards2019 #3rdDAARawards
— #3rdDAARawards (@daarawards) January 12, 2019
Several Twitter users took to Twitter on Monday to raise concerns about President Buhari bagging the award.
Metrics and Reality shows Nigeria is on a declining path and DAAR ladies and gentlemen gave your MCM the award for Best African President. They didn’t see John Magufuli, Paul Kagame, or Ian Khama. They gave Muhammadu Buhari Best African President! ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/vtklWXGtqY
— Kolo Jesse (@KoloJesse) January 21, 2019
DAAR awards why??
Buhari took third how did he now win. Did he threaten to shut down your operations. You honestly think he is the same category with these presidents.
— AMANDA CHISOM (@MandyChisom) January 21, 2019
Can you @daarawards explain how @MBuhari suddenly became the winner? U awarded @adeyanjudeji activist of the year then made the 1 responsible for his incarceration Africa President of the year even when Kagame won? @segalink @AbdulMahmud01 is dis not a mockery of deji’s activism? pic.twitter.com/4po5fOPNLm
— Onyema John (@JohnOnyema15) January 21, 2019
Is this true? Organizers of DAAR Awards conducted an online poll but gave the award to @MBuhari one of the losers in the poll!
They’re all compromised… ???? pic.twitter.com/x8gNN2J35d
— Adetutu Balogun (@Tutsy22) January 21, 2019
Dear @AIT_Online,
On behalf of well meaning Nigerians, I demand that you show us the vote result that led to this @daarawards for President @MBuhari. Please RT pic.twitter.com/jlsDcrgC1p
— Oluyemi Fasipe???????? (@YemieFASH) January 21, 2019
But in a statement on Monday, DAAR Communications Plc said the social media polls constitute only 30% of the criteria for the awards. The statement was released on the official Twitter handle of AIT.
HAVING RECOGNISED 72 WINNERS IN CATEGORIES RANGING FROM POLITICS, BUSINESS, LIFESTYLE, ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC AND SPORTS IT HAS BECOME NECESSARY TO PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATIONS ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH WINNERS HAVE EMERGED IN OUR JUST CONCLUDED DAAR AWARDS. @daarawards
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
THE DAAR AWARDS IS NOT A SOCIAL MEDIA POPULARITY CONTEST, HOWEVER WE DO VALUE THE FEEDBACK AND OPINIONS OF OUR VALUED AUDIENCES AND THUS HAVE ALLOCATED 30% OF THE SCORES TO THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.@daarawards
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
THE CONSIDERATION OF OUR AWARD PLANNING COMMITTEE ALSO ACCOUNTS FOR 30% BUT IS A BIT MORE RIGOUROUS THAN A POLL. OUR GUIDELINES FOR THE AWARDS ARE PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE https://t.co/CGdzVAh7Q7. @daarawards
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
BEING A TELEVISION EVENT, THE ATTENDANCE OF AWARDEES OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AT THE VENUE OF OUR AWARDS SCORES MOST HIGHLY AT 40%.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DAAR IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A NIGERIAN COMPANY WITH A VISION AND MISSION OF PROMOTING NIGERIA AS A NATION.@daarawards
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
NIGERIANS AS A PEOPLE AND MADE IN NIGERIA AS A BRAND IN ENCOURAGING THE PATRONAGE OF NIGERIAN BUSINESSES, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE. THIS BEGINS WITH RECOGNISING OUR OWN AT HOME AND IS EXPLAINED IN THE DAAR AWARDS GUIDELINES.@daarawards
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
REACTIONS TO THE DECISION TO AWARD THE AFRICAN PRESIDENT OF THE YEAR TO PRESIDENT BUHARI HAVE TRAILED THE AWARDS IN VIEW OF PRESIDENT BUHARI LOSING OUR POLL FOR WHO SHOULD WIN THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN DOWN THE POLL RESULTS @daarawards @MBuhari @NGRSenate
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
WHICH REMAIN A PUBLIC RECORD OF THE PROCESSES BY WHICH WE EVALUATED AND CAME TO A DECISION.
OUR UTMOST CONSIDERATION AND POSITION ON THE ISSUE REMAINS THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF SOCIAL POSITIONS AND ISSUES SURROUNDING OPINIONS AROUND OUR PRESIDENT@daarawards @MBuhari @NGRSenate
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
DAAR AWARDS IS APOLITICAL AND IS GUIDED BY ITS UNDERLAYING PRINCIPLES FOR THE PROMOTION OF NIGERIANS AND NIGERIAN ORGANISATIONS. WE WILL NOT PROMOTE A FOREIGN LEADER IN A CATEGORY IN WHICH OUR OWN PRESIDENT IS PARTICIPATING@daarawards @MBuhari @NGRSenate
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
IT WILL NOT HAPPEN IN THE USA, IN THE UK, IN SOUTH AFRICA NOR IN GHANA. THE AWARD OF AFRICAN PRESIDENT OF THE YEAR IS AN HONORARY AWARD AND WE HAVE ALSO EXTENDED HONORARY AWARDS TO OTHER PRESIDENTS IN THIS CATEGORY.@daarawards @MBuhari @NGRSenate
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
WE HOPE THE ABOVE EXPLANATION PUTS CLARITY TO THE ISSUE. THANK YOU ALL FOR WATCHING, PARTICIPATING AND RESPONDING TO THE DAAR AWARDS. WE SHALL CONTINOUSLY STRIVE TO IMPROVE AND REFINE OUR PROCESSES. GOD BLESS NIGERIA!@daarawards @MBuhari @ngr
— AIT (@AIT_Online) January 21, 2019
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