The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) say the media industry is not a political opponent or enemy of the Federal Government.
They say the political elite’s attacks on the media are habitually and not envisioned to win an argument on journalistic values, designed to bully media organizations.
Reacting to what it described as ‘’draconian provisions’’ in the two Bills – to amend the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act, and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act that are currently before the National Assembly, which the sponsors said were aimed at moderating the ‘’recklessness’’ of the media, the Guild said that the Bills are actually meant to criminalise journalism practice in the country.
In a statement issued by the umbrella of all editors in Nigeria and signed by the president, Mustapha Isah and Iyobosa Uwugiaren General Secretary, on Tuesday, the Guild said the ‘’oxygen of democracy’’: the media, will be strangulated if the bills are passed in their present forms.
The NGE said, QUOTE ‘’While we are not opposed to an Act that will promote media stakeholders-driven regulatory council, the many draconian provisions in the Hon. Odebunmi Olusegun’s sponsor bills are actually aimed at criminalising media practice in Nigeria. While the intention of the sponsor of the bills is suspicious, the bills negate all known features of media regulatory bodies in the world’’, the Guild stated.
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