The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari assured, yesterday, that he will respect media freedom and uphold the constitution if elected president.
He also promised that the general elections would hold without bloodshed.
Buhari made the promises during an interactive meeting with media proprietors under the umbrella of Nigeria Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, and representatives of private and public broadcast media in Nigeria in Abuja.
He said that he is now a democratic convert, saying that what transpired during his days as the military Head of State belonged to the past.
“I want to give you my full assurances that in this democratic dispensation, I will ensure that the Nigerian constitution is upheld. This includes respect for the media, respect for the right to free expression and freedom of speech. You are aware of Decree 4 of 1984, which was heavily criticised. I have said elsewhere that I cannot change the past.
“But I can change the present and the future. Dictatorship goes with military rule as do edicts such as Decree 4. However, I am a former—former, note the emphasis on the word ‘former’—military ruler and now a converted democrat, who is ready to operate under democratic norms.
“I am not only subjecting myself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time, but even after being elected, I will continue to promote the consolidation of democracy in our great country, Nigeria, by guaranteeing that the media’s freedom is not compromised in any way.
“I give you my full assurances that the Nigerian media will be free under our APC government. I also want to use this opportunity to appeal to you to use your media outlets in shaping positive public discourse and eschew hate speech mongering and slanderous political rhetorics which heat up the polity.”
Buhari made the promises during an interactive meeting with media proprietors under the umbrella of Nigeria Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, and representatives of private and public broadcast media in Nigeria in Abuja.
He said that he is now a democratic convert, saying that what transpired during his days as the military Head of State belonged to the past.
“I want to give you my full assurances that in this democratic dispensation, I will ensure that the Nigerian constitution is upheld. This includes respect for the media, respect for the right to free expression and freedom of speech. You are aware of Decree 4 of 1984, which was heavily criticised. I have said elsewhere that I cannot change the past.
“But I can change the present and the future. Dictatorship goes with military rule as do edicts such as Decree 4. However, I am a former—former, note the emphasis on the word ‘former’—military ruler and now a converted democrat, who is ready to operate under democratic norms.
“I am not only subjecting myself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time, but even after being elected, I will continue to promote the consolidation of democracy in our great country, Nigeria, by guaranteeing that the media’s freedom is not compromised in any way.
“I give you my full assurances that the Nigerian media will be free under our APC government. I also want to use this opportunity to appeal to you to use your media outlets in shaping positive public discourse and eschew hate speech mongering and slanderous political rhetorics which heat up the polity.”
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