The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, says there is no way
good governance can be delivered to the people without a free media
environment that guarantees access to information.
He stated this at an event to commemorate the 2019 World Press
Freedom Day which held on Friday in Abuja, the nation’s
capital.
Saraki, who was represented by the Senate Deputy Minority Whip,
Senator Philip Aduda, highlighted the contribution of the press to
the growth of the nation’s democracy.
“We do appreciate that we cannot deliver good governance without
a free press, and we are always available to work in tandem with
the media to ensure a democratic society that serves us all,” he
said.
The Senate President added, “Let me, therefore, assure you that
the 8th Senate values the media as crucial partners in the quest to
build a stronger and more vibrant democracy.”
He noted that the legislature has gone a long way towards
opening up the National Assembly as an institution that belongs to
the people.
The lawmaker listed some of the steps they have taken to include
the use of social media to give live updates on plenary and
committee meetings, as well as live-streams of proceedings in the
Senate.
He stressed that the pen has proven to be as effective, if not
mightier than the sword, attributing it to the power of words to
plant, grow, shape and motivate ideas into action.
The Senate President believes in a country with a chequered
post-independent democratic experience such as Nigeria, the notion
of ‘press freedom’ must drastically evolve from something its
people pay lip service to into what must be practised, championed
and protected at all costs.
According to him, the urgency of this is reflected in the
nation’s ranking on the Global Press Freedom Index of 2019, where
it is ranked 120 out of 180 countries.
Saraki said, “Clearly if we truly wish to grow and preserve our
democracy, we must understand that a free and pluralistic media
environment that guarantees access to information, is
non-negotiable.
“When citizens have information, they are able to make informed
choices due to the diversity of their viewpoints.”
“When we have such a society when citizens are not only
well-informed but are free to express their valid
opinions — without fear or prejudice — it is only then that we can
truly say are practising true democracy,” he added.
Democracy, according to the Senate President, has its foundation
in the freedom of the press, which in turn promotes good
governance, accountability and respect for human rights.
He, however, said while the objectives may not be easy to
achieve, the nation can agree that it can be done if it was
determined to see it through.
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armed bandits
Gunmen Attack Bafarawa town, kidnap a boy
Some suspected gunmen attacks Bafarawa village and specifically
enter former governor Attahiru Bafarawa’s house in the village.
The gunmen killed his security guard, Abdullahi Jijji and
kidnapped one boy in the house with name Abdulrasheed Sa’idu.
The gunmen arrived the village in a Commando style threatening
to wiped out the whole villages of Bafarawa and Kamarawa from the
earth.
The two villages are under Isa local government area of Sokoto
state.
This is first time such kind of attack is happening in Bafarawa
town, but people of Kamarawa an adjacent neighbor village have been
experiencing such kind of attacks, killing, kidnapping and burning
of their properties.
Last Thursday former Governor Bafarawa addressed journalists in
Abuja over his commitment towards organizing security Summit along
with other northern leaders under his Foundation, Attahiru Bafarawa
Foundation to bring a lasting solutions to issue of insecurity in
the region.
Dr Suleiman Shuaib Shinkafi
Ag. DG Attahiru Bafarawa Foundation