To ensure Journalists perform their constitutional role, Federal Government and all the security agencies have been tasked to respect the constitutional rights of journalists to free movement without obstruction or impediment to cover and report on the general elections commencing this Saturday.
The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI) in letters to heads of all security agencies and the electoral body reminded them that it is duty-bound Journalists to keep the public informed to ensure the elections are conducted peacefully.
The letters, jointly signed by the IPI Nigeria President, Musikilu Mojeed, and its Legal and Advocacy Officer, Tobi Soniyi, were addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of DSS, the Commandant-General of NSCDC and the Chief of Defence Staff, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, among others.
Others are the Minister of Information and Culture, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Minister of Justice as well as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The IPI Nigeria Secretary, Ahmed I. Shekarau, in a statement, quoted the organization’s president and legal officer as saying that “When journalists cover elections, they are performing a constitutional duty.
“Just like it behooves on security agencies to protect lives and property, journalists are duty bound to provide the public with accurate information not just during elections but at all times”.
The organization also relied on Section 39(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended; Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which also guarantee this right, IPI Nigeria reminded the agencies that journalists are under a legal obligation to cover the elections.
According to the Nigerian chapter of the global media body, journalists must be allowed to go about their business freely and must have unrestricted access to cover the elections.
It noted that “When journalists are allowed to cover elections, transparency is enhanced, thereby resulting in credible elections”.
The organization said the security operatives and INEC should ensure the safety of journalists during the elections, since the INEC had accredited journalists to enable them to cover the elections, security operatives must not obstruct such journalists from performing their constitutional duty.
“Our organization will take every legitimate measure to hold to account anyone whose action or inaction leads to the violation of the rights of any journalists during the electioneering period and afterward,” the IPI said.
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