•Emmanuel seeks media support for his successor
•Don urges journalists to engage in practices that encourage good governance
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja, Okon Bassey in Uyo and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has felicitated with Nigerian journalists on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day which was marked yesterday.
Lawan, in a statement by his media aide, Ola Awoniyi, said journalists have made immense contributions to the socio-political and economic development of Nigeria.
He added, “Nigerian journalists deserve our appreciation for their contributions to democracy and governance in general in Nigeria as the fourth estate of the realm.
“Promoting press freedom is not only upholding the rights of an important segment of the society, it is also promoting the human right to freedom of speech and opinion.
“It is in the light of this that the ninth National Assembly has ensured in the past four years that no legislation under its purview tampers with these rights.”
The Senate President wished journalists a happy World Press Freedom Day.
Relatedly, as he bows out of office on Mày 29, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has urged the media in the state to extend the same cooperation he enjoy with them to his successor, the governor-elect, Umo Eno.
Emmanuel made the call while felicitating the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Akwa Ibom State Council, on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day.
In a release by his Chief Press Secretary and Senior Special Assistant, Media, Ekerete Udoh, the governor lauded the robust relationship that exists between the media and his government.
“Though we have had moments of disagreement in the manner of certain reportage of government activities by the press, the media, however, has to a large extent, not been overly adversarial.
“We have accepted criticisms that are done without malice, and, have allowed media practitioners the freedom and latitude to report and analyse events without deploying the instruments of government to sanction, suppress or coerce them to do otherwise.
“The media is an important player in any democracy and we salute and celebrate you, for helping to deepen our democratic traditions and ethos.
“Akwa Ibom is a unique State, and in the last eight years, we have worked to reposition the state as an emerging hub in aviation, with world class infrastructure, healthcare delivery services, agriculture, industrialisation, etc,” the release stated.
Meanwhile, a Professor of History, International Studies and Diplomacy, University of Benin, Eddy Erhagbe, has urged media practitioners to engage in dissemination of information that would encourage good leadership and governance because of the seeming complex structure of Nigeria.
Erhagbe made this call in Benin City, while delivering a lecture titled, “Shaping a future of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a Driver for all Other Human Rights,” organised by the Edo State Council of the NUJ.
He said from pre-independence and post-independence, the media has been critical to the call for good governance.
He added, “As a historian and expert in international studies, I believe and hold the view that the problem with Nigeria is not the structure of our country of Nigeria, but the running of the affairs of the country.
“There are certain extant fallacies about the authenticity of certain geo-political configurations of pre-colonial Nigeria, this must be corrected, so that we can focus more on conscientiously and truthfully working to emancipate our people rather than hoodwink them by parochialism and religious and ethnic bigotry.
“I join the ranks of those who believe that Nigeria can make it with the right mix of leadership and followership.
“The media has a patriotic duty to encourage those things that would help to engender the unity of Nigeria. It has been there before and must continue to do so robustly.”
Earlier in his opening remarks, the chairman of Edo NUJ, Mr. Festus Alenkhe, said journalists have a constitutional role to practise their profession and therefore should not be hindered in the process and commended practitioners for their professionalism despite attacks and the unfriendly environment they find themselves in.
The high point of the event was the bestowment of an honour on a philanthropist, Dr. Dorry Okojie.
