Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has said that the future of Nigeria, as a nation, lies in the hands of journalists.
Ayade made the assertion on Wednesday in Calabar, Cross River State capital at the first public lecture organised by Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to mark its week.
He said that journalists have a pivotal role to play in delivering Nigeria from the shackles holding it back from attaining its right position among the committee of nations in the world
The Governor represented by the Commissioner for Information and orientation, Mrs Rosemary Archibong, said there should be a search for intellectuals and not heads who cannot offer solution to the nations’ problem.
”There should be a search for intellectuals and not empty heads who cannot offer solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria,” he said, adding that “only the media can set up a platform for such discuss. Our fate lies in the media to provide a veritable platform for all views to be heard.
“By so doing public office holders can be held accountable at all times .They must report the truth in a factual and accurate manner, no form of hearsay should be allowed in the media space because the fact on ground will always speak for itself.
“Journalists are powerful people because the media and politics are like Siamese twins, so they have a huge role to play in nation’s growth and development, they must enlighten the people enough to make informed choice,” he added.
Speaking, the guest lecturer, Mr. Mike Igini, who is the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State said journalists were like guardian angels because they remained the instrument for enlightening the mind and saddled with the responsibility of making sure that the people were kept abreast.
He spoke on the theme, ‘Engendering Issue Based Campaign In An Electioneering Year: Media Perspectives.’
“The power of the media in shaping society, moulding public opinion and setting agenda for public discourse as well as bringing about the reality of government by discussion, which is what democracy is all about in the final analysis is both legendary and long standing,” he said.
Igini also called on the media to beam its searchlight on INEC with the view to giving it proportionate coverage of all its activities as well as aspirants and candidates because as an election management body, they have an obligation to create a level playing field.
“We have an obligation to create a level playing field for all as well as equal opportunity to compete for votes of electorates to do otherwise are to ignore the impact we know the media have on the behaviour of the voter’s .Those that ignore the impact of the media do so at their own peril.
“They must as a matter of responsibility beam their searchlight on the body(INEC) to ensure that there is confidence and hope not just in the establishment t but the process,’’ he stated.
At the event, the journalists rose with a communique where they vowed to play critical role in the election.
The communique was signed by the chairman of the Chapel, Mazi Judex Okoro and Secretary of the organizing committee, Mr Nsa Gil.
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