SERAP urged the Federal government to issue a public directive allowing journalists and media organizations to perform their duties freely, fulfilling their constitutional responsibility of holding those in positions of authority accountable.
This plea arose following the recent revocation of accreditation for 25 journalists who were covering activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The appeal was conveyed in a letter signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, the Deputy Director of the group. The letter identified the banned journalists, including those from Vanguard, Galaxy TV, Ben TV, MITV, ITV Abuja, PromptNews, ONTV, and Liberty.
What the statement read
The statement dated 26 August 2023, signed by Nairametrics, reads thus:
- “Alleged security concerns voiced by State House officials and visiting dignitaries related to overcrowding in the press gallery area blocking access to the President’s Office were also cited.”
- “On August 18, 2023, your administration withdrew accreditation tags from approximately 25 journalists and media organizations covering activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.”
- “Barring these journalists and media houses from covering the presidential villa is to prevent them from carrying out their legitimate constitutional responsibility.”
- “Your administration cannot with one broad stroke ban journalists from covering public functions. Citizens’ access to information and participation would mean little if journalists and media houses were denied access to the seat of government.
- “Media freedom is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s democracy and journalists must be able to hold the government to account. This is a matter of public interest. The government cannot cherry-pick journalists to cover its activities.”
The letter further read,
- “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
The statement also read that Nigerians may consider the expulsion of the journalists from the presidential villa as the government’s ambivalence towards media freedom and citizens’ rights of access to information and participation in their government.
Violating media freedom
In the correspondence, it asserted that the withdrawal of journalists’ accreditation tags infringes directly upon media freedom and human rights, including the right to access information and participate in matters of governance. This action could notably stifle news collection and reporting, potentially leading to self-censorship.
The group also argued that media coverage within the presidential villa would enhance the reliability of public information and serve the common interest.
It stated that the revocation of journalists’ accreditations could introduce barriers between citizens and essential information regarding government operations, a right enshrined in the constitution.
The argument also went further to say that the effective exercise of media freedom, information access, and citizens’ participation is pivotal in sustaining a free and democratic society, aligning with the constitutional oath to uphold the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended).
SERAP finally urged the government to take substantive measures to ensure respect for media freedom, access to information, and citizens’ participation in government affairs.
