Do not allow Buhari to censor media – Labour union tells Nigerians

Published
on July 18, 2021
By Musliudeen Adebayo

DAILY POST

The All Workers Convergence (AWC), has appealed to Nigerians not to allow President Muhamadu Buhari-led government to censor the media.

National Co-ordinator of the union, Comrade Andrew Emelieze made this disclosure while speaking with DAILY POST on Sunday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Our correspondent recalls that major newspapers across the country last week kicked against proposed amendments into the NPC and NBC (Media) Act.

The bills sponsored by Olusegun Odebunmi, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values are already at the public hearing stage.

Emelieze while speaking, condemned attempts by the government to suppress genuine agitations and protest nationwide.

He described the proposed amendments as a way to control the media.

Emelieze while speaking further, noted that members of the labour union joined forces with the media to condemn the attempt to monitor the latter.

He called on all media organisations to also mobilise massively against the proposed amendments.

“We condemn attempts by the government to suppress genuine agitations and protest nationwide.

‘We join forces with our media to condemn the attempt to monitor the media and we call on all media personnel to also mobilise massively for the forthcoming mother of all protest which shall help put an end to bad governance in Nigeria.

“We condemn also the uncivilized way President Buhari and some desperate people have been threatening Nigerians with war sounds.

“As our government is planning to totally control the media, many more are wasting away, while daily killings are now the order in Nigeria, to the extent that it is now obvious to all that Buhari has taken Nigeria to the state of nature. Definitely, nobody feels secured any longer.

“Based on the unfortunate situation in our hands, we as a people have developed a culture of resistance against bad governance as seen in the avalanche of protest nationwide.

“We as a people have encouraged other citizens to get involved and secure our tomorrow through protest that will help terminate bad governance in Nigeria. We had earlier called for a national protest against insecurity and poverty in Nigeria.

“We urge all to consolidate on the different national protests and push further for more and more massive protest nationwide. We charged all great minds not to get tired of protesting as protest has shown to be a viable means to chasing away bad governance everywhere; our case in Nigeria will not be different.”