Buhari Claims There Is Media Freedom in Nigeria, Says Citizens Can Express Themselves Freely
- President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that Nigerians are enjoying freedom of speech in the country
- According to the president, the country through this, is now attracting positive international attention
- The president said this was premised on the government’s understanding of the important roles that information literacy
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, said it was instructive that Nigeria was attracting positive international attention as a country that promoted media freedom and freedom of expression.
He said this was premised on the government’s understanding of the important roles that information literacy and media education played in sustainable development.
Source: Twitter
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said this while pledging his “full support” for three major international events scheduled to hold in Nigeria in October and November 2022.
They include: the 2022 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Global Media, Information Literacy Week in Abuja, in October, the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry in Lagos, as well as the second Global Association of Literary Festivals Conference, Abeokuta, in November.
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In the statement titled ‘President Buhari pledges support as Nigeria hosts major cultural, tourism and literary events,’ he said the global events were opportunities to showcase the nation’s rich heritage in culture, arts, tourism and entertainment as well as advancements on media freedom.
Earlier, the Minister of Information ad Culture, Lai Mohammed, said that hosting the 2022 UNESCO Global Media, Information Literacy Week, would help to address the rising spate of fake news, misinformation and hate speech.
Expressing his delight to welcome international visitors to Nigeria, Buhari urged citizens to leverage the events to exhibit the values “that make us a unique, friendly and peace-loving people.”
The statement read in part, “Welcoming the decision by the UNESCO’s World Tourism Organisation and the Global Association of Literary Festivals to grant Nigeria the right to host these separate historic events, the President assures all relevant stakeholders and participants of the warmth and hospitality of the people of Nigeria.
“On the MIL Week, Buhari notes that it is instructive that Nigeria is attracting positive international attention as a country that promotes media freedom and freedom of expression, recognising the important roles information literacy and media education play in sustainable development.
“On the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry, the President says the rapid growth of Nigeria’s film, fashion, music, and the Information and Communications Technology sector, and the increase in international appeal and acceptance would continue to spur government to devote more resources to the sector.”
Among other initiatives, Buhari noted that the Creative Industry Financing Initiative, established by his administration and managed by the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, had provided single-digit financing to many young Nigerians in the fields of fashion, film, music and information technology.
He noted that the $100 million re-development of the National Theatre, Lagos, into a world-class creative park is also ongoing, following the handover of the facility to the CBN and the Bankers Committee.
The President, therefore, expressed confidence that the literary world would find many good things to celebrate about Nigeria when they meet in the historic city of Abeokuta, homeland and birthplace of one of Nigeria’s finest literary icons and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
2023: Why Buhari should be blamed for failure of 178 lawmakers to get return ticket
Meanwhile, Ben Igbakpa, a lawmaker representing Ethiope federal constituency, Delta state, has blamed President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to sign the amended electoral bill into law as the reason many lawmakers failed to get returned tickets.
Igbakpa, in an interview said that Buhari’s decision to withhold assent to section 84 (8) of the amended Electoral Act on statutory delegates is the reason why many lawmakers could not win their return ticket.
He argued that the national assembly has done what is right to avoid ambiguity in the constitution so that the common man on the street could interpret the law.
The lawmaker stressed that the statutory delegates were not particularly mentioned but the parliament tried to state that it was not mentioned, which means that the party can decide, but it turn out to be the biggest problem for the legislators.
Electoral Act: Powerful PDP Guber Aspirant Commends Buhari “For Signing the Death Warrants of APC “
Legit.ng earlier reported that the governorship aspirant of the PDP in Lagos state in the 2023 elections, Olajide Adeniran, has praised President Buhari for signing the electoral act into law
Adeniran, who is also known as Jandor, referenced the Osun and Ekiti states elections, noting that election results can no longer be upturned anymore in Nigeria
Jandor added that the era of lazy politicians winning elections in Lagos is over, and the ruling APC will no longer be in power after 2023
Source: Legit.ng
