Mr Lanre Arogundade, Director of IPC
The International Press Centre, IPC and the Center for Media, Policy and Accountability, CMPA, have condemned the verbal assault inflicted on a Journalist by a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani Kayode.
The journalist, Eyo Charles, who reports for the Daily Trust Newspaper asked the former Minister at a press conference in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, Nigeria, if he was funded to embark on a tour of projects in the state to which Fani- Kayode responded with verbal attacks.
Mr Charles also claimed that a security detail in the entourage of the former Minister confronted him after the press conference.
IPC in a statement by Olutoyin Ayoade, Communications Officer, said it “viewed the development as repulsive and unacceptable since there was nothing wrong with Journalist Eyo Charles wanting to know if the tour was an independent initiative or a sponsored one.
“The former Minister had the option of not answering the question and the abuses were totally out of place in the context of the event”, the Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade was quoted as saying.
For CMPA, in a statement signed by Dr Suleiman A. Suleiman, Executive Director and Ibrahim Uba Yusuf, Director of Media Development, the CMPA
“ Well, there are no stupid questions and such questions are in line with good journalism: ‘digging the unknown facts’.
The Centre said it, “strongly believes that the question is in the public interest and is part of journalists’ role in holding power to account, a role enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, adding, that, “the former Minister has no right to assault any Nigerian citizen, let alone a journalist on constitutional duty on behalf of Nigerians.
“This public assault is a clear violation of the constitutional rights of journalists in line of duty. This is unacceptable. Unfortunately, the Daily Trust reporter and other journalists present at the press briefing did not stand up for their rights.
“As an organization, we felt it is incumbent to advise journalists and media houses to give a total black out to such characters, who have no respect for journalists and their profession.
“We also urge the Nigerian Union of Journalists to intervene on this matter. Above all, the Centre for Media Policy and Accountability demands a written apology.
IPC demanded that the former Minister should apologise to the Journalist and give an assurance of his safety in view of the alleged further threats.
“IPC is of the view that journalists who are saddled with the constitutional obligation of monitoring governance and holding the government accountable to the people should not be subjected to harassment in the course of duty
