The Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed, Thursday, applauded the role played by the Nigerian media in building democratic culture, institutions and practices in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility for better society.
The governor spoke in Abuja when he chaired a public presentation of a book on the role of the “Media and Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy: Threats, Constraints and Resilience,” organised by the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought.
Governor Bala who was represented at the event by his special adviser, Media and Publicity, Comrade Mukhtar Gidado, thanked the organisers, authors and editors of the book for a well researched scholarly endeavor which has a direct practical bearing on media development and the Nigerian democratic system.
“I want to lament on the current debate in Nigeria regarding the place of the media in Nigeria’s democratic transformation and consolidation relate to the role of the media in empowering civic spaces and strengthening democratic governance and the challenges the media face in engaging in such undertakings.
“It is a known fact that politicians can sometimes be excessive in tying to constrain the media and in turn the media, especially in this age of new and social media, can be excessive, intolerant and volatile in defence of its space or territory,” he said.
Governor Bala reminded the gathering on the support of the media towards the sustenance and advancement of the current democratic dispensation, called on practitioners of both domains to continually advocate for dialogue which will stimulate understanding, tolerance, respect and the spirit of give and take for the greater public good.
