By Reuben Abati

Our attention has been drawn to a statement by the Leadership Newspaper titled“Statement on the Arrest and Detention of LEADERSHIP journalists”(April 10). The latest episode in the matters arising from the same newspaper’s publication of an alleged“Presidential Directive”which we have had cause to disavow because the basis of the story proved to have been a dubious‘bromide’containing nothing more than“a mishmash of carefully arranged and concocted lies, presented to the public as evidence of a document emanating from the presidency.

”Yet, the Leadership newspaper insisted that“it stood by its story.”

As a responsible government committed to providing good governance and protecting the rule of law, the rebuttal from the presidency was appropriate; yet its symbolism runs far deeper. It ordinarily ought to have motivated all concerned with or related to the process and issues contained therein, particularly the publishers and editors, to double check their claims, and where errors had been made, to quickly retract the story. This would have been in line with the ethics of professionalism, good conduct and unbiased reporting.

This approach reflects the crucial role of a bridge which a best-practice media performs, in the management of the civil engagement between elected officials and the citizenry. Underpinning this social contract is the principle that the freedom of expression goes hand in hand with great responsibility. Given the Leadership Newspaper’s insistence that it stood by its story, questions are automatically raised about professional ethics and the social responsibility of the media, which certainly, by the rules and codes of practice of the various media associations in the country do not accommodate the publication of falsehood, or inciting material, or the abuse of the media’s constitutional mandate.

The circulation of a fictitious‘presidential directive’that seeks in the main to cause civil strife, engender a breakdown of law and order, and negate the values of our democracy is a very grievous act indeed that should not be ignored. At its core, such a disruptive act erodes the ethos of governance and professionalism and naturally stirs up those entrusted with the protection of law and order; as it should also, every responsible citizen, interest group and the entire media. In that regard,
President Jonathan did not have to issue any orders before those who have as much constitutional responsibility as the media; that is, the police, see the need to act in the public interest.

Without holding brief for the law enforcement and security agencies, such a publication, like all others that threaten our democracy and undermine law and order, become the duty of the Police as an institution to investigate. The Leadership newspaper should see this as an opportunity to co-operate with the police as required by the laws of the land. The Police have not done anything outside the law. The trite rule is that nobody is above the laws of the land. It is also within the powers of the Police to invite persons for questioning and to conduct investigations, which is what they have done so far in“The Leadership case”. Or are the editors of the Leadership newspaper insisting that they are above the laws of the land?

This administration believes in and has demonstrated its commitment to press freedom times over. The Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) was signed by this President into law and under this government the Nigerian print and electronic media has grown in number, reach and in terms of freedom to practice.

It will be disingenuous to suggest that there is a clampdown of any sort or an attempt to stifle the press.

Why shouldn't journalists normally cooperate with the police in this instance?

We believe that it has to do with the fundamentals of professional ethos that make journalists operate with a different set of loyalties and a different set of outcomes. Yet, there should be no contradiction under normal circumstances where the pursuit of peace and democracy deepening is concerned. This should ordinarily have been an opportunity for the‘media’to help our democracy by collectively rejecting the publication of pure falsehood.

As recently as March 12, 2013 in the United Kingdom, detectives working with the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Elveden, an on-going British police investigation into corrupt payments to public officials, placed two journalists under covert surveillance by police investigating corruption and bribery allegations against journalists. This process was considered a crowding out of press freedom with a number of people settling for an open invitation by the police for questioning, as was done in previous invitations with regards to Operation Weeting - covering investigations of The News of the World which led to numerous arrests, detentions and eventual convictions.

The developments at The News of the World, which centre around the resort to illegal means to obtain and/or publish otherwise dubiously obtained information led to the setting up of the Leveson Inquiry, a judicial public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press.

The Inquiry published the Leveson Report in November 2012, which reviewed the general culture and ethics of the British media, and made recommendations for a new, independent, body to replace the existing Press Complaints Commission, which would be recognised by the state through new laws. Some of the changes recommended include sweeping measures that will allow police officers to demand information from sources; rights for police to seize materials from the press, changes that may force journalists to reveal whistleblowers'identities; and other rule changes that may define freedom of speech. To show the extent of an ordered approach, part 2 of the inquiry has since been deferred until after criminal prosecutions regarding events at The News of the World are concluded.

In Nigeria, the place of our media is well regarded by the government and its freedom within the law, is regarded as sacred. The Nigerian media is self-regulated and is required to abide by defined codes of ethics. The incident with the Leadership newspapers is not an attempt by the government to muzzle a critical bridge in the societal value chain. Rather, it reflects the professional gaps that need to be bridged within the profession as the media continues to play its very crucial and necessary role in nation-building.

This development therefore offers the media an opportunity for introspection, one that requires an emphasis on the responsibility of a media house as regards issues of ethics and professionalism; and extends in the main to how such a media house builds corporate governance rules to ensure that reckless, unfounded and grossly misleading publications have no place in the esteemed profession and outputs from its stable.

Nigerians fought so hard to end an era whereby serious attempts were made to muzzle the media and our recent history will attest to the heroic role played by the media in our emergent democracy. We intend for that to continue and welcome unfettered contributions, investigations and accountability audit of those holding public office today and tomorrow.

What must not be encouraged is voodoo journalism or the deliberate and malicious attempt to use a medium that is designed to inform to now take on the inglorious task of being a mouthpiece for a narrow agenda based on disinformation, deliberate scaremongering, civil society baiting and the offer of media platform(s) to those hell-bent on causing disharmony through well-woven conspiracies.

This government is proud of its record on press freedom, its relationship with and promotion of access for the media and civil society. The publication of a spurious document and the alarmist approach to the routine invitation extended to the Leadership journalists should of itself provide proof of a choreographed attempt to deliberately cast the administration in a bad light; especially given the synchronized communications from the newspaper, the Action Congress of Nigeria, and others.

Once again, we urge the Nigerian public and the media to pay careful attention to those who parade themselves under different garbs and push forth information intended to subvert the cause of peace and order. The Nigerian government remains a committed advocate of a free but responsible media that can and should hold the government to account even as it seeks to educate and inform the citizenry for whom we are all responsible. This is the social contract we are all agreed to, for and on behalf of the Nigerian public.

Dr. Reuben Abati is Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to President Goodluck Jonathan

April 10, 2013

http://saharareporters.com/article/leadership-newspaper-media-responsibility-and-police-reuben-abati

who cursed Abati

Reuben Abati have just betray his profesion, passion and what he is known for.

seunfly: Reuben Abati have just betray his proffesion, passion and what he is known for.

hey mr, what as abati said that is bad? the leadership will never try this nonsense with obj or any other harsh president, jona is too soft those journalist suppose to be tried and sentence if found guity which they are, if they want to be a journalist let them be and if they want to be a politicians let them drop their pen and join politics.

seunfly: Reuben Abati have just betray his proffesion, passion and what he is known for.

Then you know nothing of that profession. He just reawakened the professions to higher standards which is RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM.

I'm not a fan of Lai Mohammed or Reuben Abati but somethings don't just add up about this whole SA on media thing.
Abati was a well known and respected activist who used his platform as editor of Guardian newspaper to speak against the so many ills of the Nigerian political system. He was a fiery writer who spoke the truth without caring whose horse is gored. That was why so many people hailed his selection as the moderator of the last presidential debate. Now he's the mouthpiece of the same people who makes the life of Nigerians more difficult.
I never imagined the Reuben Abati I knew to defend sensitive issues like the appointment of patience as a perm sec,the state pardon granted Alams,or even the subsidy removal when the issue of corruption which got us in the mess in the first place had not been tackled to mention a few.
Reuben is either a turncoat,or confused or he's just goin through mid-life crisis. Whatever the case just know that the worst kind of people on earth are the people who speak from both sides of the mouth. Cos their opinion is dictated by their tommy. Reuben,Reuben,Reuben, how many times did I call you? Pls retrace your steps before its too late. You're letting so many people who looked up to you down. Only God knows the kind of tea you were fed in Aso rock to make you become such a turncoat!
As for GEJ,4yrs(2009-2013) is enough to have at least one tangible achievement that has improved the lives of Nigerians. Just One achievement which every Nigerian can see and feel. You forget that your government is not "for the elite and by the elite" alone.
I rest my case.

Omo_Tier1: who cursed Abati

Do I take it that you stand for irresponsible journalism? Do I assume that you just empowered Leadership Newspaper to publish your own obituary even when you are still alive? Do I also assume that you are suggesting that Leadership can publish documents on some important business deals that you have closed or even your letter of employment in your last place of employment, let us for a minute close our eyes to the fact that they can publish wrong information as they just did.

What if Leadership publishes a letter from Tinubu tomorrow, just like the 'presidential directive', stating guidelines that will be used to demolish all Awo's surviving legacies, or even publish a memo from Fashola directing his Chief of Staff how they will divert Lagos State funds and ALL these are as false as the 'Presidential Directive'? Will your position change?

segun-obe:
I'm not a fan of Lai Mohammed or Reuben Abati but somethings don't just add up about this whole SA on media thing.
Abati was a well known and respected activist who used his platform as editor of Guardian newspaper to speak against the so many ills of the Nigerian political system. He was a fiery writer who spoke the truth without caring whose horse is gored. That was why so many people hailed his selection as the moderator of the last presidential debate. Now he's the mouthpiece of the same people who makes the life of Nigerians more difficult.
I never imagined the Reuben Abati I knew to defend sensitive issues like the appointment of patience as a perm sec,the state pardon granted Alams,or even the subsidy removal when the issue of corruption which got us in the mess in the first place had not been tackled to mention a few.
Reuben is either a turncoat,or confused or he's just goin through mid-life crisis. Whatever the case just know that the worst kind of people on earth are the people who speak from both sides of the mouth. Cos their opinion is dictated by their tommy. Reuben,Reuben,Reuben, how many times did I call you? Pls retrace your steps before its too late. You're letting so many people who looked up to you down. Only God knows the kind of tea you were fed in Aso rock to make you become such a turncoat!
As for GEJ,4yrs(2009-2013) is enough to have at least one tangible achievement that has improved the lives of Nigerians. Just One achievement which every Nigerian can see and feel. You forget that your government is not "for the elite and by the elite" alone.
I rest my case.

"Now he's the mouthpiece of the same people who makes the life of Nigerians more difficult"

Did you just utter that gibberish? What do you mean by "Now he's the mouthpiece of the same people who makes the life of Nigerians more difficult"? Perhaps you were refering to Fashola and Tinubu who may be making "the life of (Lagosians) more difficult" (according to you)

In case you'r talking about the govt of GEJ, I'm sorry I dont see how its making "life of Nigerians more difficult". Besides the increment of fuel price, which was by the way, inevitable, your comment is BASELESS and SENSELESS. About the fuel price increase, that was inevitable at it would HAPPEN over and over again, except crude oil price comes down. As long as crude oil price is increasing, ANY govt in power will inevitably increase fuel price. The reason is fuel is a commodity, like any other commodity.

Beside the fuel price increase, I dont see how the following has "made life more difficult for Nigerians":
- revival of the rail transport system
- YOUWIN
- graduate internship scheme
- SURE-P women and youth empowerment scheme that employs 5,000 unskilled persons per state and pay them monthly stipends for 5hrs per weekdays work.
- Airport remodelling and Aviation reforms
- Building of cargo Airports
- Construction of Almajiri schools
- Massive road rehabilitation, re-construction and construction
- Agric reforms including new ways of distributing fertilizers and farm inputs that ensure farmers receive subsidized farm inputs DIRECTLY
- Ongoing power reforms and privatisation
Etc,etc

If anything, ALL of the above, are and will make life better for Nigerians.

Most times, critics turn BLIND eye to all of the above, while at same going on and on about corruption, corruption and corruption. Well, if you like, you can build another twin towers with the word- corruption- but the FACT is that corruption has existed since 1960 and is ALWAYS an easy tool for those who want political power through the back door. Therefore, no one should be bothered about the NOISE by anti-corruption e-warriors.

What matters, as far as I'm concerned are CONCRETE things, listed above, that affect the lives of ALL Nigerians DIRECTLY.