By Queen Kunde
Senate President, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, has called on Nigerian journalists to uphold responsible and ethical journalism, warning against the dangers of misinformation. Akpabio made this call at the World Press Freedom Day 2025 event organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abuja on Saturday.
Delivering a keynote titled “Voices, Vision, and the Vigilance of Truth: The Role of the Legislature and the Press in Nation Building,” Akpabio stressed that access to accurate information is the bedrock of democracy. “A nation without information is like a blindfolded captain,” he said. “Citizens who are denied access to information cannot hold their leaders accountable.”
Addressing the event’s theme, “The Legislature, right to Information, and the Challenges of Nation Building in Nigeria,” Akpabio described the legislature as the nation’s “microphone,” where citizens’ concerns are transformed into laws and policies. He underscored that the right to information is not a privilege but a fundamental right, calling it “the oxygen that keeps democracy breathing.”
Akpabio emphasized that nation-building requires collective effort, urging Nigerians to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to navigate the country’s challenges. He hailed journalists as “guardians of memory and interpreters of meaning,” charging them to remain beacons of truth while upholding professional ethics and guarding against quackery.
“Democracy is deepened not by ballots alone but by dialogue,” Akpabio concluded, urging the media to foster open conversations that strengthen the nation.
Earlier, NUJ President, Comrade Hassan Yahya Abdullahi, reaffirmed the union’s commitment to ethical journalism, protection of press freedom, and accountability in governance. He noted that World Press Freedom Day honors not only the principles of free speech but also the resilience of journalists who face harassment, threats, and imprisonment in the line of duty.
Abdullahi called for safer working conditions and praised the federal government’s commitment to free speech, urging that promises be matched with concrete action.
Award Highlights
The event also featured the NUJ’s annual awards, honoring notable individuals and organizations:
- Arc. Sunny S.T. Echono – Good Governance Award (Pacesetter Leadership)
- Sen. Godswill Akpabio – Good Governance Award (Legislative Transformation)
- Dr. Emem Omokaro – Good Governance Award (Innovative Leadership)
- NNPC Ltd – Good Governance Award (Energy Efficiency & Sustainability)
- Julius Berger Nigeria Plc – Construction Company of the Year
- National Bureau of Statistics – Good Governance Award (Transparency)
- Torch Bearer of Press Freedom Awards – Idibia Gabriel, Matthew Ochei, Jide Oyekunle, Lucy Ezeliora, Ibrahim Ayyuba Isah, Ibrahim Isha
- Chief Henry Akunebu SAN – Defender of Press Freedom Award
- Kebbi State Governor, H.E. Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris – Good Governance Award (Education)