The new Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Thursday blamed Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, and other Federal Government-owned media organizations of throwing professionalism to the wind.
Lai Mohammed
The minister who made the statement during his maiden meeting with heads of parastatals under the ministry in Abuja observed that the public owned media houses have showed total disregard for editorial independence.
He stated that government-owned media organizations always complain of financial woes, forgetting that there is a link between credibility and profitability.
Read him:
Let me start with the Federal Government-owned media organizations, the NTA, FRCN and NAN. Why have you all chosen to play second fiddle in the country’s media landscape? I ask because the NTA
and FRCN of yesterday is not the same as what we have today.
Whereas most broadcast journalists of note in our country today passed through the NTA and the FRCN, there is no denying the fact that the private radio and TV stations are doing much better, at least going by the fact that most Nigerians prefer them to the public broadcasters. Indeed, most Nigerians find the private broadcasters more credible.
The reason for this is not farfetched. First, the public broadcasters have thrown professionalism to the wind while also showing total disregard for editorial independence. They have mortgaged their credibility on the altar of political correctness. Yet, these Federal Government-owned media establishments are endowed with highly-trained and well-qualified personnel, better infrastructure and a wide reach.
It is interesting to note that these government-owned media organizations complain of financial woes, forgetting that there is a link between credibility and profitability. Advertisers will surely flock to more credible media organizations, and of course it is also true that content drives advertisement.
The same law of diminishing returns also apply to NAN, which was once the leading national news agency in the whole of Africa, boasting of the best professionals in the news business. Today, the agency is punching far below its weight, despite its presence in all the states of the Federation.
We intend to provide leadership for the Federal Government-owned media organizations in a manner that will make them to become the first source of information, so that they can more effectively function as a
vehicle for the change mantra of the Buhari Administration, and also regain their lost glory.
The combined reach of the NTA, FRCN and NAN, if effectively utilized, will facilitate the success of the change campaign. But they must first enhance their own credibility, because no credibility-deficient news organization can successfully propagate the message of change.
At this juncture, ladies and gentlemen, let me assure Nigerians that under this Administration, no Federal Government-owned media organization will deny the opposition the opportunity to air their
views.
It is true that while we were in opposition, we were treated as outcasts by these public broadcasters. They denied us the use of their platforms, they rejected our adverts and even made themselves available for the most abhorrent hate campaign ever in the history of electioneering campaign in our country.
But in an era of change, which is our mantra, that cannot and will not continue. Opposition members are Nigerians, just like members of the ruling party. Even the ruling party will benefit when the opposition is allowed to air their views freely, because you learn more from people who disagree with you. Therefore, let the ruling party and the opposition air their ideas and let the people, who wield the ultimate power, decide at the end of the day.
NIGERIANS on Tuesday reacted angrily to speculations that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration was planning a major clampdown on media houses considered to be “unfriendly”.
President Jonathan
Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, a constitutional lawyer; Mr. Yusuf Ali, another SAN; Mr. Debo Adeniran, an activist leader of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, and others who spoke to our correspondents said the alleged plan to clamp down on the media was symbolic of a government desperate to hold on to power by all means.
Sagay said, “I won’t be too surprised if the government clamps down on the media because as you can see, there is lot of desperation coming from the government’s side; desperation and fear of losing the election that led to postponement and a lot of very undemocratic practices that have been going on.
“But the press should just do its work as they should under the law. At the end of the day, there is no army in this world that can conquer the press. The press is the most powerful organisation and its pen is a great weapon. Ultimately, nobody, no institution can conquer the press. The press should just do its work and be courageous.”
Sagay and the others spoke as the speculation about government’s plot against the media reached a climax on Tuesday, with the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, said to be the anchor for the government’s plan.
A ‘news alert’ on Tuesday that purportedly reported a discussion at a military meeting in Kaduna, leaked an anti-media action being championed by the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
The nucleus of the plot, according to the alert, is the arrest of top management personnel of the mentioned media houses: The PUNCH, The Nation and Channels, a privately-owned television station.
Worse than the clampdown on the named media houses, the ‘alert’ revealed other dangerous anti-democratic steps the government is alleged to be taking even as the nation gets set for the general elections.
The alert, unedited, read, “News Alert: Once again am back here with some of the highlights of the Military meeting in Kaduna. Like I told you yesterday, the Military is doing everything possible to derail this democratic process. The representative of the Federal Government to the meeting today made it very clear that President Jonathan would never allow GMB to take over from him. Rather, the military body should be ready to take over govt on May 29.
“As preparation for this, the meeting came up with the plans to clampdown on some notable media organisations found to be crusading for the opposition. They specifically mentioned the Channels TV,The Nation and The Punch Newspapers as some of the media houses to be dealt with. He suggested ways to go about the clampdown including the arrest of notable management of these media organisations.
“The issue of Nigerian Sovereignty also came up in the light of an expected attacks and condemnation from international communities and organisation. To our surprise, IBB sent one Bob Caleb to the meeting to add some impetus. He came in around 12pm and left about 20 minutes later after holding some private brief with the NSA. The meeting continues tomorrow, but I can say that the country will witness some strange development in some weeks to come. Stay tuned.”
The Presidency on Tuesday debunked some of the contents of the ‘alert’. For one, it denied a report that the President would rather hand over to the military on May 29 than handing over to Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in an interview with The PUNCHsaid the report was a sign of desperation by some people with partisan interest.
Abati said Jonathan remained committed to democracy and the rule of law.
He said, “That (the alert) is absolute nonsense. It is nothing but a sign of desperation on the side of certain elements with partisan interest.
“President Jonathan remains fully committed to democracy and the rule of law. He is a man who believes in one man one vote; one woman, one vote; one youth, one vote and the right of every Nigerian of voting age to exercise their franchise.
“One of the major achievements of this administration had been the conduct of free, fair and credible elections at all levels since 2011 and it is a legacy of which he is proud and he has made it clear that his ambition does not worth the blood of any Nigerian.
“It won’t happen under his watch that the gains of democracy will be reversed. He remains committed to transforming Nigeria so that democracy can be further consolidated and the rule of one man one vote will continue to be strengthened.
“I am saying categorically that the story is not true and cannot be true. It should not be taken seriously by anybody.
“What is clear is that there are a lot of unpatriotic, partisan and deliberate elements who are determined to heat up the polity for their own narrow and selfish purposes.
“But we say to such people that they should realise that this country is bigger than all of us. President Jonathan continues to call on all stakeholders to come together and work together to put Nigeria first always.”
Given that most actions of the Jonathan government, especially in recent times, often started off as a speculation, reactions on Tuesday indicated that the speculations could be true and those who spoke warned the government against its alleged plan.
Ali, who spoke to The PUNCH on the phone from Ilorin, Kwara State, described as dangerous any step to gag the media.
He said, “That is a very dangerous step to take. It is inimical to the nation; it is inimical to democracy and inimical to the rule of law. There is freedom of expression in our Constitution and any media house or other organisations whose rights are being infringed upon should approach our courts; the courts are open.”
Adeniran said, “It means the system has bared its fangs and they have decided to go all out to become tyrannical, but that would be resisted by the Nigerian populace because we rely on what the media, especially the conventional media, can dish out to us.
“So, apparently, the present system or government has a lot of things to cover up; it means they have things they don’t want the public to know, that would be the reason they want to do that. But I am not sure that they would go far because the international community is watching and the international community is ready to defend the ordinary citizen of this country. Even if they do it, they would only embarrass themselves but we pray that it is not true.”
The Executive Director, Civil Liberties Organisation, Ibuchukwu Ezike, said, “That would be undemocratic and the Civil Liberties Organisation will not support such an attempt.
“Already the President has signed the Freedom of Information Bill and it has become a law and this bill empowers the media to enquire into the activities of the government.
“Any attempt by the government to clamp down on the media is condemned and will be condemned and the Civil Liberties Organisation will resist it and lead the Nigeria people to fight against such impunity or lawlessness. We pray it doesn’t happen but it would be an opportunity for another Occupy Nigeria.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Friday announced a shift in the elections originally scheduled for February 14 and 28 with new dates now set at March 28 and April 11 for Presidential and Governorship polls respectively.
The shift had drawn the anger of many, especially the opposition, but the crux of the matter was that the postponement of election started as a mere speculation, just like the current speculation of a plot to deal with unfriendly media houses.
Perhaps in recognition of how mere a speculation under the present administration could take on a life of reality, the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Tuesday reacted to speculations that he would soon embark on a terminal leave, preparatory to the expiry of his tenure of office in June.
Jega said the condition of his engagement was different from the normal civil service practice and said he would serve till the end of his tenure on June 30.
The speculation that Jega would proceed on terminal leave before the commencement of the rescheduled polls came amid further speculations that the Jonathan administration had lost faith in the INEC boss and would want the election to be handled allegedly by a pliant INEC chairman.
Before the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Sanusi Lamido, was removed, there had been rumours that President Goodluck Jonathan was going to sack him for his whistle-blowing activities against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The Presidency had kept mum until it finally announced the suspension of Lamido in February 2014.
Meanwhile, anti-media actions are not new under the Jonathan administration.
In June 2014, armed soldiers seized and destroyed copies of newspapers, mainly The PUNCH, The Guardian, The Nation, Leadership, ThisDay, Daily Trust, Sun, Pilot, Newswatch and The Mirror.
The military authorities claimed then that the seizures were based on intelligence report that newspapers were being used to ferry arms into the country.
The action then drew the ire of Nigerians with the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project asking Frank LA RUE, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression to “urgently issue urgent appeal and measures to stop the government of President Goodluck Jonathan from continuing harassment and intimidation of several media houses and newspapers.”
Last year, according to the World Freedom Index, Nigeria was ranked 112 among 180 countries. The 2014 WPF index cited the negative impact of conflicts on “freedom of information and its protagonists.”
Nigeria was ranked 115 and 126 in 2013 and 2012 respectively.
The report linked the ranking of some countries like Nigeria to its government’s “tendency to interpret national security needs in an overly broad and abusive manner to the detriment of the right to inform and be informed.”
This trend, the Index noted, constituted a growing threat worldwide and “is even endangering freedom of information in countries regarded as democracies.”
The 2014 index underscored the negative correlation “between freedom of information and conflicts, both open conflicts and undeclared ones.”
It said further that, “In an unstable environment, the media become strategic goals and targets for groups or individuals whose attempts to control news and information violate the guarantees enshrined in international law, in particular, article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Protocols Additional 1 and 2 to the Geneva Conventions.”
WFI, however, noted that the upsurge in violence against journalists elicited a response from the international community.
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has many political enemies. The irony of the President’s situation is that many of his very vocal supporters are among his most ardent enemies.
They are in the class of Nigerians I have in the last one week here referred to as the enemies within the President’s government. By self-perception the President himself believes the Nigerian press hates him.
He has bought into the logic of the many enemies he once claimed have infiltrated his government and firmly believes he is the victim of a compromised press. Whereas his problem emanates from the legion of fair weather friends and do-gooders out to fish in the troubled waters they have created for the President.
There is no doubt there are many Nigerians out there who are genuinely troubled by what they perceive as an overly critical press; one they believe is a problem rather than a genuine watchdog and partner of the Jonathan administration.
For the sakes of these Nigerians it is necessary to shoot straight by coming down hard on some of these wolves masquerading in sheep clothing around the President. Last week I identified Alex Badeh, the Chief of Defence Staff as one of those stoking the fire in Jonathan’s bush of trouble.
Another culprit that doesn’t need any special effort to unmask is Mbu Joseph Mbu- yes the same infamous Mbu that was, even as police officer, the de facto governor of Rivers State.
While Badeh could be seen and excused as a recent recruit into the cadre of Jonathan’s internal enemies; while it is even possible to see him as a misguided recruit, Mbu has a relatively long career of deliberate mischief. He is a power-monging anarchist in police uniform.
Nigerians couldn’t have forgotten too quickly that Mbu it was that all but ran Rotimi Amaechi out of Rivers as the elected governor of that state? In the many controversies that pitched Amaechi against the President, his wife and their political supporters in Rivers State, Mbu was the unhidden hand that led the charge against an elected governor.
As a public officer, the Commissioner of Police of Rivers State, that ought to be seen far more than he was heard, Mbu made an art of disrespect to a superior to whom he should be answerable.
He openly took side in a matter that was no concern of his even when he could have successfully served as a peace-maker between two estranged political associates that were his superiors. Certainly Mbu tried to pose as a loyal subordinate and friend of the President. But the true motive of his soapy support and unbridled, even reckless support of the President’s wife was for the purpose of his pocket and position.
He was simply out to make an impression however ignoble as a supporter of President Jonathan, especially his wife and her local supporters in Rivers. Mbu was a major actor in the drama that made life unbearable for Amaechi, making the difference between him and the President irreconcilable. Mbu remained a thorn in the soft underbelly of Amaechi until his shenanigans attracted enough attention as to make his continued stay in Rivers State untenable.
Now as Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, Mbu is once more at the game he knows best- courting at once avoidable and unnecessary controversy all for the sake of power and influence. This man is no doubt a politician in police uniform and until the police authorities do something about putting him where he truly belongs he would continue to bring them unfavourable attention. He is simply bad news as his latest misadventure in trying to ban rallies in aid of the release of the abducted school girls of Chibok demonstrates. Mbu last week issued an order he obviously consulted nobody, not even his superiors at Louise Edet House.
By this order, the police man banned any procession aimed at campaigning and drumming support for the return of the Chibok girls. In his warped reading of the matter, Mbu made the astounding claim that the campaign constituted a threat to security as it could be used as a cover to detonate explosives and thus embarrass government.
It was a unilateral decision that could only have come from someone full of his own sense of importance, a deluded public officer unconcerned about the limits of his authority. By this order Mbu sought to return Nigeria to the era of the military or the colonial authorities with whom Nigeria’s founding parents fought the struggle of independence. And a note of warning here: Should any thing untoward, including detonation of explosives, occur during the #Bring Back Our Girls# campaign Mbu should be held accountable.
It is strange what type of trouble some people simply create for others in the name of supporting them. Although IG Mohammed Abubakar has reversed Mbu’s thoughtless order but the damage has already been done. The Police has been in the unenviable position of splitting hair on the actual text and meaning of something as unambiguous as Mbu’s irresponsible order. The man, forgetting that Abuja is not Port Harcourt where he could run amok, has succeeded in portraying the police and the Jonathan government as both paranoid and afraid of criticism however well-meaning.
Mbu has succeeded in bringing a N200 million law suit on the Nigeria Police. He has further helped in publicising what he claims to be against a campaign he believes has been politicised. Which is not impossible really. But who is responsible for that if not the government?
Even from a distance one could see that President Jonathan is a quiet human being. But this very fact is what many jobbers masquerading as friends around him have exploited quite unconscionably for their own purposes. But neither the President nor his minders are any wiser for it. They would need to wake up from their slumber and begin to recognise the likes of Mbu for who and what they are: common busybodies in need of relevance.
These enemies posing as friends of the President are many and come in different guises. Many are members of his party. Others are in his cabinet. And yet others are in the security agencies. But too often the usual suspects for Jonathan and his supporters are members of the opposition many of whom only see an opening of criticism they could exploit.
They are less dangerous in certain circumstances than those in and around the President. He would be doing himself a world of favour to be alert and alive to the tricks of these enemies lurking like snakes at his door.
The Nigerian Army has said that the ongoing clampdown on the media will continue until it is satisfied with its checks on the nation’s newspapers distribution network.
The Director, Defence Information, Maj.Gen. Chris Olukolade, said this on Tuesday while featuring on a programme, entitled Focus Nigeria on the African Independent Television monitored in Lagos.
Though he admitted that the onslaught was at a cost to the media, it would not stop until the military was satisfied that none of the circulating vehicles of the media organisations was not being used to carry arms and ammunition for the insurgents.
He, however, pleaded for understanding, saying the media must consider the military action as one of the sacrifices that should be made for national security.
Olukolade denied media reports that the drivers of the media circulation vehicles were being detained and that newspapers were being confiscated.
But the Nigeria Labour Congress has said that the ongoing harassment of media houses in the guise of searching for dangerous materials was unacceptable under democratic governance.
The President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, said the “seizure of newspapers, arrest of circulation drivers of several newspaper publishing companies as well as depriving the reading public access to information by operatives of the Nigerian military and other security agencies is absolutely unacceptable and clearly out of place in any democratic society” in an electronic mail on Tuesday.
Omar said that the military lacked the powers to trample on the freedom of the press and other freedoms entrenched in the constitution.
He stressed that the military also lacked the right to limit press freedom as the congress could not find a link between insecurity and a free press in a democratic regime.
He challenged the military to provide evidence of the involvement of the media in the violence and killings in the country.
Omar said that the media remained a critical organ for democratic development, stressing that any move to suppress the media and its operations as shown by the disruption of newspapers circulation would be resisted by the congress.
“The military and all the security agencies ought to know that all fundamental rights are germane to democracy and therefore lack constitutional and legal rights to unilaterally order the circumscription of freedom of the press or any freedom in any form as we cannot find the link between insecurity and a free press in democratic governance.
“There is an urgent need to prove the culpability of the news media in the ongoing violent attacks against people and critical facilities in Nigeria.
“For us, we strongly believe a free press is very critical in the sustenance of democracy and any obstruction to the operations of any critical organ of our democratic process would be resisted as the recent infringements in the circulation of newspapers portend,” he added
Omar challenged the military to go after those threatening the sovereignty of the country whose violent activities had “almost disappointingly overwhelmed those paid to protect lives and property, despite huge budgetary allocations.”
The labour leader said that the foreign media organisations seemed to have access to more information on the activities of the Boko Haram than the nation’s security agents.
“In any case, foreign media organisations seem to have more access to information on these violent groups, especially Boko Haram, than our security agents.
“The military and other security agencies must restrict themselves to the protection of our sovereignty and go after those threatening this country with violent attacks that have almost disappointingly overwhelmed those paid to protect lives and property, despite huge budgetary allocations,” he added
Omar noted that it was impossible for democracy to survive in Nigeria without the media and warned that the era of impunity associated with military dictatorship should not be resurrected under a democratically elected government.
President Goodluck Jonathan has allegedly asked a “special favour” from Nigeria’s media owners. He wants them to generously deploy their newspapers,magazines, radio and television to back his new project of “writing” a brand new constitution for Nigeria, reliable presidency sources and associates of some of the media proprietors have told PREMIUM TIMES.
At the April 10 discreet meeting, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, President Jonathan, our sources said, laid bare his strong desire to “write” a constitution for the country and begged his media owners guests to help him bring the project to fruition.
“From the way he spoke, you could see that he is desperate to produce a new constitution for this country,” a source with deep knowledge of the meeting said. “He knows the media can shoot the project down. So he tried to get the media owners to his side so they can help censor reporting critical of the project while also helping to mount aggressive campaigns in their various platform in support of the project.”
The meeting had in attendance owners of leading newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations all over the country. Those based outside Abuja were flown into the nation’s capital by the presidency.
Mr. Jonathan, our sources said, did not disguise his reason for calling the meeting.
After a brief preliminaries by him and his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati – who referred to the media owners as the pipers dictating the tunes in the country – Mr. Jonathan went straight to the point, telling his guests why the current Nigerian constitution is at the root of the nation’s problems and why he should be supported to bequeath a new constitution to the country.
Mr. Jonathan however failed to disclose the specific changes he wants to introduce in the constitution and why he is not comfortable with the ongoing constitutional amendment being undertaken by the National Assembly.
When one of the media owners pressed him to explain the kind of constitution he envisaged for the country, the president simply recalled his governorship days in Bayelsa state, saying he was shocked when he was told at the time that under the prevailing constitution he could not create additional local governments.
One unidentified media owner asked the president to explain how he wants to write the constitution. Mr. Jonathan was reportedly evasive in his response, merely saying he would not enter his library to emerge with a new constitution.
It is not clear why Mr. Jonathan is bent on “writing” a new constitution for the country in spite of the ongoing constitution amendment by the National Assembly.
Mr. Jonathan had tried in March to get the nod of the Senate to empower him to come up with a new constitution.
That bid, introduced through a bill from the Senate’s Constitution Review Committee, failed as the chairman of the committee, Ike Ekeremadu, hurriedly withdrew it after it failed to garner support.
At the meeting with the media owners, Senator Chris Anyanwu, who owns the Abuja-based Hot FM, told the President that his first bid to introduce a constitution bill failed because he failed to do his homework.
“This time, you should meet all relevant stakeholders in small groups just as you are meeting with us today,” Ms. Anyanwu said.
The president’s real agenda is unclear. There are suggestions he wants to introduce the report of the ongoing National Conference as a bill for a new constitution for the country. But he is yet to make that clear.
There is also widespread suspicion that the president is working discreetly to get a two-year extension of his tenure, which ends on May 29, 2015.
Last week, a delegate to the National Conference, Okon Osung, called for the elongation of the tenure of Mr. Jonathan and others by 18 months.
The delegate, who addressed journalists in Abuja, had said, “At this crucial juncture in our national history, a Presidential or National Assembly declaration of a politico-administrative moratorium or cooling-off period before the conduct of the third Transitional Elections scheduled for February 2015 has become an imperative necessity.
“This calls for a postponement of the or deferment of the scheduled 2015 Elections by at least 18 months while retaining all the democratic institutions at all levels of governance and across the entire spectrum of the country’s political divide, without any bias to the statutory termination dates of such democratic institutions.”
But the leadership of the Conference quickly issued a statement, saying the views expressed by Mr. Osung were entirely personal and should not be interpreted as the position of the National Conference or any of its Committees.
President Goodluck Jonathan wants the media to report the country positively.
Oshiomhole
A similar challenge came from Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, both of whom asked the media to help fix the problems in the country.
Jonathan spoke through the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, during the dinner to raise funds for the building of the Editors’ House by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Abuja on Thursday.
He hailed the leadership of the guild for its decision to build a befitting edifice that would serve as its secretariat.
Describing the Nigerian press as one of the best and freest in the world,he said :”I will say that our profession is making progress. The Nigerian media represent the best and the freest on the continent today and everywhere around the continent, we are looked upon as the leaders of this profession.
“This freedom did not just come overnight. It is something we have fought for and it is something Nigerians have recognized and in deepening this freedom, let us act with serious sense of responsibility and let us uphold the unity of this country.
“Nigeria represents the basis of the freedom of Africa. Our country, no matter what challenges we have faced, had done tremendous things for this continent.
“We must realize that the work of the Federal Government is huge. What President Jonathan has done in the last four yes has been very significant. The problem is that the rot has been there for a long time.”
Mr.Maku said that the Jonathan administration has built 10 power plants, revitalized the railways and established 13 universities in the last four years.
He said that the Federal Government now has the funding requirements to complete the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying: “But because Jonathan inherited a lot of problems, it is difficult to notice what he had done so far.”
He added: “I want to call on my colleagues, because today when people read some of the things you write, the impression is that this country is so bad, they should not even come here.
“The reality of it is that this country is the number one destination for investment in Africa for the last four years because of our policies and the nation is developing. We need patience.
“This country has suffered from impatience. Each time we are having a breakthrough, something will happen.
“My appeal to us is to also ensure we report our country positively. We are leading in several ways.”
On his part, Governor Oshiomhole appealed to delegates at the ongoing National Dialogue to work towards the peace and development of the country.
He noted that countries which are considered safe havens today have had to work for their development.
Oshiomhole said: “My appeal is that anyone who has been nominated and is part of the confab would have been nominated on the assumption that he has no other country but Nigeria.
“Therefore, since he does not have any other country but Nigeria, he will stay in that conference and work towards the progress and development of Nigeria.”
He hoped that those who are privileged to lead the country cannot afford to become ethnic champions.
“Let us leave ethnicity to those who are detained by their domains, so that those who have responsibility beyond domains, who are defined and identified by our green passports should speak for the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because we have no other country we can call our own,” he said.
Also speaking,Governor Uduaghan noted that those agitating for war in the country are doing so because they have not witnessed any in their lives.
He called on the media not to incite the younger ones to violence through their publications.
He said: “I say to those who today are saying they are Biafrans that if they had seen war before they would be very careful in their agitations.
“What I want to plead with the guild is that we should not incite, especially our young ones, to cause crisis because it does not pay. Nigeria is one.
“We should not incite with our microphone; we should not incite with our pen because this country has a lot of potential.”
President Jonathan announced a donation of N50million towards the building of the House, the Governors of Rivers and Kwara states donated N10million and N5million respectively.
Most of the other dignitaries did not announce their donations.
The Director, Defence Information, Maj.Gen. Chris Olukolade, said this on Tuesday while featuring on a programme, entitled Focus Nigeria on the African Independent Television monitored in Lagos.
