In commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day, Executive Director, De Gratia Centre for Media Rights and Education, Paulinus Nsirim, has urged media practitioners to hold those in leadership accountable. In a statement issued in Port Harcourt recently, Nsirim observed although the nation has recorded 26 years of unbroken democratic rule, there is the urgent need to build strong institutions.

To him, “media practitioners owe this nation the responsibility to ensure that our leaders do not continue the trajectory of corruption and rudderless leadership. We have come to a point in our country when our leadership recruitment process must be interrogated to pave way for patriotic Nigerians to occupy key positions.”

Describing Nigeria as a nation blessed with abundant natural and human resources, he insisted there is no reason the nation should be grappling with economic challenges.

To him, media practitioners as agenda setters must begin to use their various platforms to propagate values that will engender a better Nigeria.

Saying those in leadership positions must hold them as a sacred trust for the people, he added, “we cannot continue to promote primitive accumulation of wealth while important sectors of the economy continue to suffer.”

In conclusion, he stated, “Nigeria has what it takes to be an economically vibrant nation if those in authority are held accountable at all times. This is the time for Nigerians to put all hands on deck to build the nation of our dream.”