Govt, media are partners in nation-building, says information minister 

Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, has said the government and the media are not opponents, but partners in nation-building, occasional misunderstanding notwithstanding.

Idris spoke when the management of The Guardian visited his office, yesterday, in Abuja

According to Idris, the task of nation-building is hinged on collective responsibility, even as the media, as the society’s watchdog, is expected to be more vigilant in protecting the nation’s democracy, peace, and unity, without which nations could experience serious diminishing returns.

He said: “I do not believe the government and the Fourth Estate are opponents, but rather partners in the arduous task of nation building, a task that occasionally comes with divergent perspectives and approaches.”

According to Idris, The Guardian is a leading media powerhouse, whose history is synonymous with Nigeria’s struggle for representative democracy and the fight against military rule, stressing that the paper should continue to be pro-democracy and not yield any grounds to any destabilising notions.

According to a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Media), Rabiu Ibrahim, the minister says it is important that the media grasps the noble intentions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which is rooted in visionary reforms that will turn around Nigeria’s socio-economic fortunes.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of The Guardian, Mr Toke Ibru, said the organisation, widely acclaimed as the flagship of the Nigerian press, remained a torchbearer in the consolidation process of the nation’s democracy and would continue to promote the ideals of unity, peace, and national security.

The Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Mrs Comfort Ajiboye, attended the meeting.

Other management staff on the entourage of Mr Ibru included the immediate past Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr Martins Oloja; the Editor, Dr Oluwafemi Adekoya, and the General Manager, Abuja-Northern Operations, Mr Chuks Nwanne.