Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says it
is an abuse of press freedom for journalists to refer to President Muhammadu
Buhari as a major general.
Mohammed said this on Tuesday when executives of the
International Press Institute (IPI), Nigeria chapter, paid a courtesy visit to
him at his office in Abuja.
The minister said Nigeria has one of the most vibrant and
free press in the world, adding that the media has no reason to fear the
government.
“I remember saying at the opening of the 2016 IPI World
Congress in Qatar that the government of the day in Nigeria is not a threat to
the media, and that it is not about to stifle press freedom or deny anyone his
or her constitutionally-guaranteed rights,” he said.
“That statement
remains true today as it was then. I even told the congress that the Nigerian
media have no reason to fear the government, and that — if anything — it is the
government that is at the mercy of the media. That, too, remains true today.
“After all, this must be one of the very few countries in
the world where a section of the media can refuse to recognise popular
sovereignty, or how does one describe a situation in which a president who was
duly elected by millions of Nigeria is willfully stripped of that title,
president, and then cheekily cloaked in the garb of a dictator by playing up
his military title?
“Despite that abuse of press freedom, those doing that have
continued to practise their profession without hindrance.”
The information minister further charged IPI Nigeria to take
seriously the issues of ethics, credibility, and fake news.
“Also, the issue of fake news needs to be taken seriously
before it strips the media of its credibility,” he said.
“If people can no longer believe what they read, hear or
watch on the various media platforms, then we are all in trouble.
“On the issue of ethics, is it part of the ethics of
journalism for a media organisation to function like an opposition party, seeing
nothing good in the government of the day and only reporting bad news?
“The last time I checked, the constitutionally-guaranteed role of the media here in Nigeria is that of a watchdog, not an opposition.”
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