Following major uproar social media, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reversed itself over the ban placed on African Independent Television (AIT) from covering activities of Nigeria’s President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari. In a statement released today, the spokesman to APC, Lai Mohammed said all accredited media outlets are now free to cover Mr. Buhari’s activities. Yesterday AIT news crew covering Buhari’s event at the Defence House in Abuja were barred from entering the venue by Buhari’s security team citing “security concerns”, however, a strong backlash from social media users condemned the actions of the APC.
See APC press statement below:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that all accredited media organizations in the country, including the African Independent Television (AIT), are free to cover the activities of the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the incoming Buhari Administration will not discriminate against any media organization,
irrespective of its role during the electioneering campaign leading up to the recent polls.
It however enjoined all media organizations to observe the highest level of professional standards in carrying out their duties.
”There is a Code of Ethics guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria, and this demands every journalist to ensure a strict adherence to the highest levels of ethics and professionalism in carrying out their duties.
”There must be repercussions, within the realms of the law, for media organizations which have wantonly breached the Code of Ethics of the journalism profession and turned themselves to partisans instead of professionals. But such repercussions will not include barring any accredited media organization from covering the activities of the President-elect,” APC said.
