- I Am An Apostle Of A Free Press – Tinubu
- He defended press freedom while calling for responsible journalism.
- Tinubu said economic reforms and security efforts are yielding results.
President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerian journalists to uphold the principles of accuracy, professionalism and ethical reporting, warning against the growing culture of sensationalism and the pursuit of online engagement at the expense of credible journalism.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the President made the call on Thursday during the maiden State House Media Dinner in Abuja, where he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to press freedom while stressing that constitutional rights must be exercised responsibly.
Tinubu described himself as a lifelong advocate of a free press, insisting that his support for media freedom has remained consistent throughout his public life.
“I am an apostle of a free press. I have defended and advocated for the rights of the media throughout my public life and will continue to do so,” he said.
The President, however, cautioned that freedom of expression and press freedom should never be used to spread falsehoods or deliberately mislead the public.
He urged journalists to report accurately and responsibly, especially on issues capable of heightening tensions in society.
“While press freedom and free speech remain the bedrock of an open and democratic society, journalists and citizens must also not forget the imperative of balancing rights with responsibility and the duty you hold to society to report and inform with care and accuracy to facts and in a manner that ensures the society is not set on fire,” Tinubu said.
The President also challenged media practitioners to resist the temptation of prioritising viral content over factual reporting.
“The media must choose fact over falsehood. The media must choose substance over sensation. The media must choose credibility over clickbait and the endless race for followers, likes, and viral outrage,” he added.
Tinubu noted that the rise of misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes and artificial intelligence generated content has made the role of professional journalists more critical than ever.
According to him, Nigerians increasingly rely on trained journalists to verify information and distinguish facts from speculation.
“The public depends on journalists not merely to report events but to separate fact from fiction, truth from speculation, and evidence from opinion,” he said.
“In a world where everyone with a smartphone is now a journalist, the responsibility of professional journalism has never been greater.”
The President stressed that freedom of expression does not include the right to defame others or intentionally spread misleading information.
“Freedom of expression is not freedom to defame,” he said, adding that “press freedom is not freedom to deliberately mislead.”
Speaking on the relationship between the government and the media, Tinubu described both institutions as partners in nation building, despite the inevitable tension that exists between journalists and those in public office.
“We are adversaries only in the democratic sense, as the media constantly distrust those in power. In nation-building, we are partners,” he said.
“Government exists to serve the people through leadership, policy, and public service. The media exists to serve society by watching those entrusted with power, asking difficult questions, and holding government accountable.”
Tinubu said such tension is necessary in every healthy democracy.
“Government must act. The media must watch. The government must explain. The media must question. That arrangement guarantees a certain level of tension,” he stated.
The President also defended laws regulating activities in the digital space, including the Cybercrimes Act, saying they were designed to protect citizens rather than suppress press freedom.
“The media space is no longer an unregulated frontier. Nigeria has enacted laws, including the Cybercrimes Act and other relevant legislation, to protect citizens from malicious falsehoods, cyberstalking, identity theft, and other abuses that increasingly accompany the digital age,” Tinubu said.
“These safeguards are not intended to weaken press freedom. Rather, they exist to protect citizens and preserve the integrity of our information ecosystem.”
Turning to the economy, Tinubu maintained that his administration’s reforms were beginning to produce tangible results.
“Our economy is stabilising. Public revenues have strengthened significantly. State governments are receiving substantially higher allocations to support development. Investor confidence is returning,” he said.
The President added that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had improved, investment was returning to the oil and gas sector, and ongoing tax and fiscal reforms were laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth.
On security, Tinubu said intensified military operations, improved intelligence gathering and stronger collaboration among security agencies had produced encouraging outcomes.
“As a result, thousands of criminal elements and terrorists have been neutralised. Numerous hostages have been rescued. Communities previously under threat have been reclaimed,” he said.
The President concluded by calling for stronger collaboration between the government and the media while preserving the press’s constitutional role of holding public officials accountable.
“Let us replace needless hostility with constructive engagement. Let us replace sensationalism with professionalism. Let us replace the pursuit of outrage with the pursuit of truth,” Tinubu said.
“Together, let us continue building a nation where truth matters, accountability thrives, democracy flourishes, and every Nigerian has reason to believe in the promise of our country.”
