Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has called on journalists to remain vigilant in defending Nigeria’s democracy, warning that some politicians are bent on undermining democratic institutions whenever government policies do not favour them.
The governor spoke on Thursday while hosting journalists to an iftar (Ramadan fast-breaking) at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, where he reflected on the historic role of the media in Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle.
Sani said journalists played a more critical role than any professional group in the fight against military rule, urging them not to allow the sacrifices made during that struggle to be eroded by what he described as anti-democratic forces.
According to him, during the years of resistance against dictatorship, civil rights activists depended heavily on courageous journalists who risked their freedom and, in some cases, paid the ultimate price in the struggle to restore democracy.
“Many journalists lost their freedom, and some lost their lives when we were fighting for democracy. Nigerians cannot talk about democracy today without recognizing the contribution of journalists,” he said.
He therefore urged media practitioners to remain alert and interrogate the actions of politicians he described as “latter-day activists” who, he claimed, were absent during the pro-democracy struggle.
Sani warned that some of these actors are now attempting to manipulate public discourse and destabilize the democratic process whenever policy decisions do not align with their interests.
The governor said rather than focus on issues that affect citizens’ welfare, such politicians resort to divisive narratives built around ethnicity and religion.
According to him, national development discussions should centre on healthcare, education, human capital development, infrastructure, unemployment, and poverty.
(The Nation)
