With Mumini Abdulkareem
A former Kwara State lawmaker, Hon Isiaka Mogaji has advised the
Government of Kwara State to tolerate opposing views even as he
advocated for press freedom.
Mogaji while reacting to the recent ultimatum issued by the Chief
Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakye over a report on alleged
purchase of bullet proof jeeps by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq
noted that such action was a wrong approach and advised the
administration to be tolerant to criticisms.
According to him, the press should be allowed to do its work of
holding the government to account and advised National Pilot to
continue to carry out its mandate and not succumb to any attempt to
muzzle its activities.
According to him, “When I saw the threat on social media allegedly
issued from the office of the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), I was so
surprise because I didn’t expect such reaction from the government.
But I do believe it could be a function of the inexperience of the CPS
coupled with the fact that the new government lacks the absorber to
accept criticism where necessary.
He said there is the need to allow the press function adding that ”I
also subscribed to the opinions of the civil societies for the
government not to muzzle the press.
He however, advised National Pilot to remain courageous and committed
in the discharge of its duties.
”For National Pilot, I want to commend the management for their
commitment, courage and perseverance. They have been facing a lot of
challenges but I want to advise that they should not be disturbed in
the alleged attempt to silence the medium.
“If not for National Pilot, I don’t believe we have any media house in
the state that act as voice for the people and it is my believe that
the establishment as a media house stand for the people and residence
of the state and try to report government activities and carry people
along in whatever government is doing”, he submitted.
He advised the government thus:
“You see, when we have a new government like this, what the Governor
needs to have done was to organise an induction cause for all the
principal officers. This would have tailored them toward what is
governance. Many of them are just coming into government and some have
not even been a councillor before. And then government cannot be seen
as a personal estate, it is something that requires experience on the
part of policy makers.
“So I want to advise that there should be an extensive training on
real governance and they should also try to respect the opinion of the
press. In this circumstance, the ideal would have been to reply
appropriately and where there is need for clarification, they should
do so that there will be balance reportage”.
Moreover, any government that doesn’t believe in critics especially
from the press will not be good. It was not a serious allegation but
just a very mild one that one should have just answered as it were”,
he noted.
