In the past few years, cases of media and journalists’ harassment have been rampant.  These violations include arrests, physical attacks, denial of access, threats, equipment damage, equipment seizure, lawsuits and high-handedness and arbitrariness by some agencies of government.

Nigerian journalists are in perpetual danger, and we are urging the incoming government to embrace a new attitude by deliberately improving the operational environment of journalists and the media. There are still a number of oppressive and media-unfriendly laws, such as those on criminal defamation and cybercrime, that need to be amended. The government should also begin widespread sensitisation of its security operatives, who must understand that journalists and the media are key elements of democracy.

While state actors, especially state governors, must end intimidation and harassment of journalists, Nigerian politicians and political parties should also desist from the use of online trolls to attack journalists and media organisations for performing their constitutional duties of upholding the people’s right to know and holding governments, individuals and organisations accountable.

The incoming administration, to be led by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, must also take deliberate steps to help the sustainability of media outlets while respecting press freedom and freedom of speech.

IPI Nigeria is also concerned that as laudable as the passage of the Freedom of Information Act is, journalists have not been able to fully utilise the law to hold public officials accountable because government officials continue to play pranks to deny them the information they seek.

Section 2 (1) of the Act states, “A public institution shall ensure that it records and keeps information about all its activities, operations and business”.  This provision is not being complied with. Specifically, sub-sections 2–4 mandate public institutions to publish public records in different accessible forms for information seekers. This is also not being complied with.

Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution provide for Freedom of Expression and the Press.

Section 22 states that: “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people”. Section 39, which is closely related to Section 22, provides that: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference”.

IPI Nigeria demands that the incoming government commits to the total implementation of the FOI Act. This is because the free flow of information is essential to the survival and growth of democracy. Misinformation and disinformation thrive more robustly when authorities withhold information that ordinarily should be made available to the public.

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Soyinka who stated this in Abuja on Friday at a dinner organised by the International Press Institute, said “Obasanjo has crossed the red line and I will launch a publication to expose him on July 3 at Freedom Park in Lagos,” Soyinka stated, adding that “He is trying to hijack a recovery process he is least worthy to lead.”

According Soyinka, Obasanjo is not the right person to lead any movement for reform on change of leadership in the country in 2019 and that Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigerian Movement should not be glorified.

He said Obasanjo and other geriatric leaders of his generation should step aside and allow a new generation to lead the nation.

Responding to a question that he has not been critical of Obasanjo as he had been of other past leaders, especially late General Sani Abacha, Soyinka said, “As for Obasanjo, I have news for him. And it has been a progressive thing.

“I believe Obasanjo has really crossed the red line because he is trying to put himself as the head of a recovery process. He is trying to hijack the recovery process in this nation and I say that he is one of the least worthy of one of the former heads of States to lead that kind of movement.

“I have brought out a publication about that, the title is in Latin but it means; who watches the watchmen. That publication is coming out simply because I will like to see new blood in governance in this nation and I think these corrupt and hypocritical geriatrics should stop recycling themselves and they should stop trying to co-opt their former cronies to take over the reigns of governance in this nation.”

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Dotun Oladipo, President of GOCOP, made this declaration on Friday at the public launch and presentation of the Code during the ongoing International Press Institute Congress holding at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Oladipo said “The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers is elated at this recent development in the Nigerian media space with the launch today of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage.

“We have been a part of this as individual publications and as an association since the journey to review the Code began. We are proud to associate with this effort spearheaded by the International Press Centre, headed by our own Lanre Arogundade, and those who have supported the effort through funding and capacity building.

“For us, the Code represents what we believe in as an association, especially as it relates to election coverage.

“In coming together, the idea behind the formation of GOCOP was to serve as a peer review gathering of Online Publishers who have worked in the print for several years, with some of us rising to become Managing Directors/Editors-in-Chief, Title Editors and a minimum of Line Editors. Most of us also belong to the prestigious Editors’ Club in Nigeria, the Nigeria Guild of Editors.”

Oladipo said further that GOCOP is concerned with the upholding of journalism ethics, especially online, where, according to him, “ethics has been thrown away,” adding: “We pledge our support to this cause as we go on this journey to entrench the code.”

Speaking, the Director of International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade, said the public launch and presentation of the Code “represents a strong statement that good election reporting matters to journalists and media institutions in Nigeria”.

Arogundade disclosed that the Code has been endorsed by six umbrella media professional groups: Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN); Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON); Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE); Nigeria Union of Hours (NUJ); GOCOP; RATTAWU; 75 broadcast, print and online media; 15 media support groups; and two journalism training institutions – Nigeria Institute of Journalism and International Institute of Journalism.

Arogundade, therefore, enjoined all journalists and media organisations in Nigeria “to strive to read, digest, understand and implement the provisions of this Code”.

According to him, the ultimate goal is that through the credible reporting of the 2019 elections and the electoral processes before and after it, “we can all contribute to credible, free and fair and peaceful elections in the country”.

Arogundade thanked the European Union for supporting the production and dissemination of the Code.

In his presentation, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said from their statistics, youths and women would play greater roles in the 2019 elections.

However, Yakubu assured that strategic plan has been put in place to ensure hitch free elections, noting that part of the plan was the release of election timetable in January 2018, a year ahead of the general elections billed for February 2019.

Yakubu reiterated that there will be no electronic voting in 2019, saying: “I want to assure you that the will of election voters will continue to prevail.”

He said no fewer than 85 media organisations have so far been accredited by INEC, adding that the 2019 elections will be the most widely covered in the history of election in Nigeria.

Speaking, EU Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Richard Young, assured that the EU would continue to support process that is fair and transparent, saying it is important that the code of conduct has been put in place.

Young commended all the media organisations that partnered with International Press Centre to come up with the revised edition of the Code, noting that it would contribute to free, fair and transparent elections in 2019.

Present at the occasion were the creme de la creme of Nigerian media and their counterparts from across the world attending the IPI conference.

They included the owner of Channels Television, John Momoh; and the Chairman of NPAN and Publisher of THISDAY Newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena.

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The 35-page media code of conduct booklet was presented by the European Union (EU) at the ongoing 67th World Congress of the International Press Institute (IPI).

Richard Young, the EU representative at the event, said that the code was worked out by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria and RATTAWU.

He listed the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, among those who produced the code.

Young said that the EU was involved in logistics, publishing and distribution of the code as part of its commitments to successful elections in the country.

He added that “we are doing this because we believe it will help in the process of conducting peaceful, transparent, free, fair and credible elections.

“The role of the media in achieving these is very crucial and cannot be overemphasised.”

Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman of NPAN, said that the code had been adopted by six umbrella media organisations and 15 media support and development groups.

Obaigbena said two journalism training institutes and 75 broadcast, prints and online outfits in Nigeria had also adopted the code.

Prior to the code presentation, a panel of international journalists had discussed the topic “Why Good Journalism Matters and How to make People Like it.”

The session was moderated by Kadaria Ahmed, the Founder and Executive Director of Daria Media Ltd. Nigeria.

The panelists included John Daniszewski of Associated Press (AP), USA, Glenda Gloria of Rappler in Phillipines, David Jordan of BBC, UK, Khadijat Patel of Mail and Guardian, South Africa and Mostefa Souag of Aljazeera, Qatar.

The panelists collectively agreed that free press depended largely on financial viability and often times the interests of founder and financier of a stable were projected.

They also underscored the need for media houses to place emphasis on internal control mechanism adding that training and capacity building were crucial to enhancing good journalism.

Specifically, Patel on Mail and Guardian expressed shock on the dangerous trend where journalists on the field were not being paid salaries, exploited and exposed to corrupt tendencies by their employers.

She suggested that journalists should form alliances to establish their stables, considering the fact that technology and ICT had made the venture less expensive.

There was also a panel discussion on the topic “Political Transitions and Democratic Change in Africa” which was moderated by Scot Griffen, the Deputy Director of IPI.

The discussants analysed and compared experiences of journalists during elections and political transitions in the U.S., and African countries like South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Nigeria.

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Shehu said Abiri was arrested for pipeline vandalism and crude theft, including militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The presidential spokesman was reacting to a statement at the World Congress of International Press Institute in Abuja that a journalist, known as Jones Abiri was arrested in the course of his work.

“On the issue of the arrest and continued detention of Mr Jones Abiri, who allegedly parades himself as a journalist, by the Department of State Services (DSS), it is instructive to note that the accused is a guest of the security agency because of his alleged involvement in militant and criminal activities.

“Admittedly, the issue of Abiri had been brought to the attention of the Presidency by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). As a true believer in the rule of law and the integral role of the media in a democracy, the Presidency did interface with the security agency involved in the matter and our findings confirmed that the suspect is in custody because of alleged involvement in pipeline vandalism and theft.

“Abiri is not a registered journalist with any of the media professional bodies in the country,” Garba Shehu said.

Shehu further stated that there was no evidence to show that Abiri belonged to any chapel or membership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) or payment of the union’s check-off dues.

“Abiri’s stock-in-trade and notoriety in the liberalised Nigeria media industry include fronting as a spokesman for militants engaged in economic sabotage in the Niger Delta region,” he added.

According to the presidential aide, President Buhari is resolutely committed to the freedom of the press and his administration will ensure that media personnel in the country discharge their duties without let or hindrance.

He, therefore, frowned at those individuals or groups insinuating that President Buhari was in support of restrictions on freedom of expression and the media.

“It is therefore very uncharitable for anyone or group to suggest otherwise or infer that the President is in support of restrictions on freedom of expression and the media.

The presidential spokesman maintained that the Buhari administration would continue to promote the freedom and safety of journalists.

He reassured that the administration would also do nothing untoward to damage the credibility it had demonstrated in promoting press freedom since coming into power in May 2015.

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The Minister stated this in Abuja on Thursday when he received a delegation from the International Press Institute (IPI) on a courtesy visit to his office.

“The media has nothing to fear from the government but, on the contrary, we are the ones that cannot sleep with our eyes closed because of the media,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed, who said the government always takes criticism from the media in good faith, however, appealed to the media to be fair and constructive in its criticisms.

“Like I always say, this government will never stifle the media. We take so many punches everyday from the media. We are not saying please don’t criticize us, do criticize us, but please do your own homework thoroughly also and be fair to us. That’s all we are asking. Please criticize us on facts and not on emotion,” he said.

The Minister said the present administration believes that democracy cannot thrive without a free press but noted that the media should report the government within the context of the daunting challenges facing the nation, most of which were inherited by the Administration.

He said the government is on a rescue mission, but noted that the rot of 16 years cannot be corrected within two and a half years.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Administration succeeded in preventing a total collapse of the economy and has returned the country to the path of economic growth and sustainable development.

He thanked the IPI for its confidence in Nigeria by granting the country the hosting right for its annual congress, saying the IPI World Congress 2018, scheduled for Abuja on 21-23 June, will give the government the opportunity to showcase its achievements to the
international media.

In her remarks, the Executive Director of IPI, Ms. Barbara Trionfi, said she is in the country to interface with media professionals towards the successful hosting of the forthcoming congress.

She commended the government for its efforts towards promoting press freedom and the safety of journalists in the country, and tasked the media industry to look beyond business rivalry and competition in order to cooperate and promote the core values of journalism.

Ms. Trionfi was accompanied on the visit by the Chairman of IPI Nigeria and Publisher of Media Trust, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf; former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Dr. Tonnie Iredia, and the Secretary of IPI Nigeria, Mr. Raheem Adedoyin, among
others.

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He gave the advice when the board of the Nigerian chapter of the IPI paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, “It is a very important opportunity for Nigeria to showcase ourselves and also to show that Nigeria is safe and secure for business.

“It is also an opportunity to advertise all of our ease of doing business initiatives.’’

The Acting President assured the IPI that the Buhari administration would partner the Nigerian chapter of the IPI to host a hitch-free 2018 World Congress of the Global Network of Free Media.

He also assured the board that states could participate in the hosting, especially as it provided “an important opportunity for tourism and for them to showcase some of the great initiatives that they have.’’

Osinbajo stated that the pledge was in line with the administration’s commitment to promote private sector partnership.

He further urged the local organizing committee to consider putting on the agenda of the June 2018 event, the issue of hate speech and its implications for the polity and for peace and security.

“The forum is an important one for raising the question of hate speech and its implications for our country, for our polity and for peace and security.’’

“Somehow these things are resonating all over the world, new found nationalism and all of that. But I think for us here in Nigeria, it is a very important issue.

“I think that it is important that we find ways of controlling these things. I think that we owe a responsibility, especially leaders of journalism, to find ways of dealing with this issue because it is a cancer.’’

The Acting President thanked the delegation for the visit and for its efforts in ensuring that Nigeria was given the opportunity to host the world congress.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chairman of Thisday newspapers, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, said that the visit was to intimate the Acting President of the forth coming conference to be hosted in Abuja.

Obaigbena solicited the Federal Government’s support in the hosting in different areas, including the provision of a secure and safe environment for delegates and visas on arrival.

He stated that hate speech would form one of the thematic issues to be discussed during the congress.

He also thanked the Acting President for the pledge to support IPI Nigeria in hosting a hitch-free congress.

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“Under this dispensation, we have never even contemplated stifling the freedom of the media not to talk of hounding them to death,” the Minister said in Doha on Sunday when he featured as a panelist at the ongoing 2016 Annual Congress of the International Press Institute (IPI) in the Qatari capital.

“Not a single journalist is in detention in Nigeria today. The government of the day is not a threat to the media, and it is not about to stifle press freedom or deny anyone his or her constitutionally guaranteed rights,” he said at the session, devoted to a debate on the implementation of the document on the “International Declaration On The Protection of Journalists,” which was presented at the Congress.

Mohammed said having identified lack of communication and mutual suspicion as part of the reasons for regular frictions between the government and the media in Nigeria, he had taken measures to enhance communication and also reduce suspicion between the two.

“These (measures) include strengthening the rapport between the government and the media, which I have done by meeting with the major stakeholders in the media industry, and setting up a committee between the media and the security/intelligence agencies to deepen communication and understanding,” he said.

The Minister also said while the government has ensured the protection of the premises of vulnerable media establishments when required to do so, that does not affect the independence of such organisaions.

Commenting on the role of governments which regularly target journalists for their work, he said “the state which ought to protect life should not be the one to snuff it out.”

Mohammed stressed the need for capacity building for media practitioners as a way of enhancing the performance of their duties, saying the local chapters of the IPI and other media organizations have a role to play in this regard.

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This followed a request made by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to Al Jazeera to collaborate with the Ministry of Information and Culture in its efforts to restructure the NTA and other publicly-funded media establishments to enhance their performance.

He said the collaboration could be in the areas of capacity building as well as exchange of programmes and personnel.

“Our plan is to reposition the public media organizations to make them effective and competitive, irrespective of which government is in power,”

Alhaji Mohammed said during a meeting with the Acting Director General of Al Jazeera, Dr. Mostafa Souag, in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.

“For a long time, government media organizations have lost their independence and credibility. I want to restore the glory and credibility of the publicly-owned media organizations,” he said.

The Minister also called for a ‘special relationship’ between Al Jazeera and the Nigerian Government in the coverage of the key policy areas of this Administration – the fight against corruption and terrorism as well as the efforts to revamp the economy.

He assured Al Jazeera that the present Administration in Nigeria ”is an extremely open government” and that the organization would not have any problem doing its work in the country.

Responding, the Acting Director General of Al Jazeera hailed Nigeria for providing a conducive environment for the media to carry out its duties.

“Despite a lot of conflict and tension, you have managed to create a conducive environment for the media. This is very important for us in the media and we hope to see more freedom and more protection for the media,” he said.

Dr. Souag said Al Jazeera is willing to cooperate with the ministry in the area of training, adding that “Our training centre is one of the most professional in every aspect of the media, We are more than happy to work with you.”

The Minister is in Qatar to attend the 2016 Annual Congress of the International Press institute (IPI), which is due to open later on Saturday.

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“So far we have enjoyed tremendous support from the media, especially in our anti-corruption fight and our fight against terrorism. I think the media has done very well,” he said while receiving members of the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI), who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja on Tuesday.

He reiterated his earlier statement that in a time of national crisis, the media cannot afford to be neutral. “We are not saying that you should suspend your professional judgement, but you cannot afford to sit on the fence when the issues we are talking about are issues that are capable of affecting the unity of the country.

“Just the same way that the media rallied round us when we had Ebola crisis, they are rallying round us today over the Boko Haram issue. I think that the kind of support we have received from them and which we will continue to receive from them is very gladdening,” Mohammed said.

He promised to collaborate with the IPI to improve the welfare and safety of journalists practicing in Nigeria and urged the IPI to lend its voice to the ongoing fight against corruption, saying the government will continue to prosecute the war within the confines of the law.

He advised those standing trial for corruption not to prolong their trial by deploying unnecessary legal tactics, and said the rule of law should not be misconstrued as a shield to protect corruption suspects from standing trial.

Alhaji Mohammed also expressed the willingness of the federal government to partner with the IPI to explore the possibility of hosting the 2018 Congress of the Institute in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian National Committee of the IPI, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, stressed the need for Nigeria to host the Annual Congress of the Institute in 2018 because of the opportunity it will provide for the nation to interact with leading global media professionals and also improve the image of the country.

“It is important that while we are trying to fix the country, we should also fix its image. This will have to take some doing and we have to do it ourselves and show the best sides of this country,” he said.

Alhaji Yusuf disclosed that the Institute is planning some training for journalists in the country, especially in the area of safety in view of the challenging work environment created by the insurgency in the North-east.

The IPI is a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists who are dedicated to the furtherance and safeguarding of press freedom, the protection of freedom of opinion and expression, the promotion of the free flow of news and information, and the improvement of the practice of journalism.

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