MR Tony Oyatedor is a veteran journalist and publisher of News Times Magazine. He has been involved in peace advocacy across the country. In this interview, Oyatedor tasks President Muhammadu Buhari to make promotion of peace in the country his priority.
Whatare your expectations from Buhari?
The new administration must work first on peace, not corruption, like everybody is saying. Peace and security. That is one. Two, the administration must work on corruption.
Tony Oyatedor
Years ago, we were interviewed by some journalists, and we told them that what we have is not corruption. It is theft. But you are calling it corruption that is why they continued to steal. Then leadership coined it and said, stealing is not corruption. That was not what we meant. We meant that everybody that you are accusing of corruption is stealing.
So, when we can call these people thieves, then corruption would stop. My fervent hope is that with Buhari, the stealing of the commonwealth will stop. The third and most critical is to have a massive campaign for peace and reconciliation for the entire Nigerian people. President Muhammadu Buhari is the true personification of leadership. He has shown Nigerians that failure leads to success. Despite that he failed three times, he consistently forged ahead. Today, he is the President.
So many people have had to comment on the inaugural speech of Mr President. As a media practitioner, does the inaugural speech communicate anything to you?
I will say the inaugural speech was well crafted and delivered. But for me, the question is; are Nigerians willing to partner the President to achieve all he has set out to achieve. That is important now. With the little we know about Buhari, we know he is a man who will want to work and not talk. He will work for the good of the people. Our fervent prayer and hope is that he is able to achieve all he has set to achieve.
But some are scared that he might be too rigid in the enforcement of his policies?
We cannot compare apples with oranges. Here is a man who came to power by coup then. The coup brought General Buhari to power. Decree 4, the draconian rule against the media was not brought by General Muhammadu Buhari but was brought on by Supreme Military Council. Of course, General Buhari was the leader, yet the decree was brought by the Supreme Military Council which membership includes General Tunde Idiagbon, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, General Abacha, General Vasta, among others. Now, our fervent prayer and hope is that President Buhari will work in tandem with the constitution.
He would not gag any medium. He would not close any media house and most importantly, he will work for peace and understand that the media is there to hold government accountable.
You are known to have preached so much about peace and reconciliation among Nigerians. How can the media help propagate this?
Journalists have so many roles to play in the enthronement of peace in Nigeria. We at News Times have consistently been preaching on peace and we won’t give up. We remember Telling the past leadership to explore peace option with the insurgents but they said they will use force to crush Boko Haram, but as we speak today, Boko Haram is still with us.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/how-buharis-govt-can-succeed-by-oyatedor/