The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, stated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has no plans to stifle the Nigerian press.
The Minister made this statement during a visit to some of the agencies and parastatals under his ministry, namely the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Nigeria Press Council (NPC), on Tuesday in Abuja.
Alhaji Idris, however, charged the media to fulfil their duties and enjoy their freedom with a sense of responsibility.
He emphasised that Nigeria has advanced in its democratisation stage to the point where any administration attempting to suppress the press will only create more problems for the country.
“I want to tell Nigerians that under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the media will thrive. The President, myself, and all members of FEC have no intention whatsoever to stifle the Nigerian press.
Indeed, the Nigerian press will flourish under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and everything that it requires to function—the enabling environment—will be there more than ever before.
“I have also stated wherever I go that the administration of President Ahmed Tinubu has no intention whatsoever to cage the Nigerian press.
However, the freedom that the Nigerian press has also comes with responsibility. We cannot enjoy freedom and think that responsibility is no longer ours.
“There will be press freedom, but how you exercise that freedom is important. I have mentioned wherever I go that it is essential for any administration to ensure that the press is allowed to do its job.
The more you try to stifle the press, the more problematic it becomes for you. Nigerians have reached such an advanced stage in their democratisation process that I don’t think that anybody can afford to have a press that is caged or gagged at this point,” the minister said.
While welcoming the Minister to its agency, the Director General of the NOA, Dr Garba Abari, said Nigeria is in dire need of a change in values because the drop in values is evident in the lack of respect for constituted authorities.
He further stated that the public also expects to be sufficiently sensitised on the benefits of the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu.
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