AKPABIO AND THE MEDIA

TONY ITA ETIM

BIG BROTHER AKPABIO AND THE MEDIA

At the just concluded meeting of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio advocated for the enactment of Criminal Libel Law into the Nigerian Constitution. He explained that his idea was not intended to checkmate the practice of journalism but to ensure the quality of news that comes from the nation’s media. One would have ignored the call by Akpabio, but his antecedents since assumption of office about a year ago shows that he has a phobia and sheer hatred for the media.

Akpabio arrested a newspaper distributor, one Essien Ewoh, because he circulated some copies of Fresh Facts Newspaper which had a promo of a story it intended to publish about how Akwa Ibom was being administered. Just mere intention and nothing more, Essien was detained and charged to court. So our Governor has turned to Big Brother, monitoring people who harbour libelous thoughts and desires; and dealing with them accordingly.

One sympathizes with Akpabio. Since assumption of office he has been fighting one “battle”, “enemy” or the other and most of these fights are done on the pages of newspapers, hence his anger towards the print media. Blaming the media for his woes is a reflection of an Akwa Ibom adage that the fowl leaves the person that slaughtered it and blamed the pot for cooking the meat.

Why is Akpabio so concerned with the inclusion of criminal libel in the nation’s Constitution? I pray that the reporters misquoted His Excellency and they should be sued for misinformation and misrepresentation. Though I am a layman ( my governor is learned) I was told that there is libel law in our statutes books: the civil libel can be found under the Law of Torts while the Criminal Libel comes under the Criminal Code in the South and the Penal Code for the North. What is the need of advocating for the inclusion of the Criminal Code in the Constitution when our statues books have taken care of that?

There are various constitutional provisions inimical to the interests of Akwa Ibom people and the Niger Delta Region. Akpabio should work towards the scrapping of the Land Use Act, Petroleum Act, among other laws, which would have great impact on a large number of Akwa Ibom people.

Though I do not practice or subscribe to journalism of falsehood and misinformation, Akpabio should realize that the day he offered himself for public office and politics he came under the searchlight of the media as all his actions, inactions, utterances would be examined and interpreted depending on who is doing this. His body language and posturing towards the media since he assumed office as governor give an impression that he had certain things to hide. If any medium has libeled Akpabio he has the right under the constitution to seek redress through the courts. And where there is falsehood against Akapbio or his administration, he has the right of reply and his media aides should be able to do this. Any media house worth its name would give an aggrieved person or organization a space to response to issues raise in such medium During Governor Attah’s administration the then House of Assembly banned a reporter from operating in the state; so one day Akwa Ibom State government may take up the responsibility of screening journalists operating in the state to determine who is fit to practice there or not.

It is not surprising that Akpabio readily finds close associates among honourable members of Nigeria’s lower parliament – the House of Representatives who unanimously and gladly threw out the Freedom of Information bill as it suited their whims and caprices. Akpabio’s advocacy is simply a call for constitutional provisions to restrain the practice of journalism in Nigeria. It is the likes of Akpabio in the National Assembly that threw out the Freedom of Information Bill. They are afraid of their shadows but one day the laws they have made or failed to make would haunt them. There would be no need for speculation and falsehood if journalists have access to the right information at the right time – that is the whole essence of what the bill is intended to achieve.


Since Akpabio is so concerned about media reports void of falsehood and malicious reports, he should set up an agency or a desk where people who are seeking for information can access such information about the activities of the state government, income and expenditure, contract sums et al. Government officials and public office holders in the state should be given the mandate to release information (the whole truth and nothing but the truth) to journalists and other information seekers. No information should be withheld from the public. If government officials withheld information it means they have evil or criminal intentions towards the general interest and welfare of Akwa Ibom people. This is the only cure to rumour mongering and falsehood.

A one-time American President, Thomas Jefferson once said that if he was given the option to choose between a government without newspapers and newspapers without government, he would choose the later. This underlined the paramount role of the media in any democracy. The media is a watchdog and it cannot perform the role of a good watchman if he is shackled with chains. The tag of the Fourth Estate of the realm should give Akpabio an inkling of what is expected of the media in any democracy. The Nigerian Media has played a pivotal role in the political development of the country. It was the media that fought for the independence of this country, by that time it was the most visible platform used by the nationalists to engage the colonial masters. During the military era, the media turned out to be the unofficial opposition to the various military regimes. Akpabio should be grateful to the media for the democracy he is enjoying today.

Governing Akwa Ibom is enough challenge to Akpabio, so he should abstain from getting involved in unnecessary battles that are not beneficial to the people. Akwa Ibom people would not accept any excuse that he was distracted by political enemies or opposition. The governor should stop playing the ombudsman or trying to regulate the media and concentrate on providing good governance to the people.