World Press Freedom Day 2025 , Senate President Calls for Responsible Journalism, Says it’s Oxygen for Democracy. By Raymond Enoch
As the media practitioners and Journalists marks the World Press Freedom Day 2025, The Nigeria’s Senate President, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, has issued a strong call for responsible journalism anchored in truth, ethical conduct, and national development, warning that democracy cannot survive without a free and factual press.
Dr. Akpabio made this assertion in Abuja on Saturday at a national event organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to commemorate this year’s World Press Freedom Day, themed “The Legislature, Rights to Information and the Challenges of Nation Building in Nigeria.” The gathering brought together policymakers, journalists, civil society leaders, and media stakeholders in a shared call for press freedom and democratic accountability.
Delivering a keynote address titled “Voices, Vision, and the Vigilance of Truth: The Role of Legislature and the Press in Nation Building,” the Senate President underscored the critical link between access to information and functional democracy.
“A nation without information is like a blindfolded captain,” Akpabio said, drawing a vivid metaphor. “Citizens who are denied access to information cannot hold their leaders accountable.”
He described the right to information as non-negotiable, insisting it is not a state privilege but a foundational democratic right. “The right to information is not a favour from the state—it is a fundamental right of citizenship,” he emphasized. “It is the oxygen that keeps democracy breathing.”
Akpabio positioned the legislature as the “national microphone” through which the voices of citizens are transformed into laws and policy. He noted that a dynamic relationship between the press and the legislature is crucial to building a responsive and accountable government.
“The legislature is where the people’s voices become instruments of governance,” he said, adding that “the media must serve as both the guardian of memory and the interpreter of national meaning.”
Expressing concern over the spread of misinformation and the erosion of ethical standards in journalism, the Senate President urged journalists to protect the integrity of their profession. “The media must burn not only bright but true,” he warned. “We must guard against quackery, where untrained individuals masquerade as professionals. Ethical journalism is the bedrock of a free society.”
He further stressed that building a nation requires collective effort from all sectors, including the press, legislature, judiciary, and the citizenry. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot do it alone,” Akpabio noted. “All hands must be on deck if we are to steer the ship of Nigeria through the storm and into safe harbour.”
Highlighting the press’s role in fostering unity and national dialogue, Akpabio described democratic discourse as a continuous process. “Dialogue is the cornerstone of democracy,” he stated. “And it is not achieved by ballots alone. It is sustained through vibrant, responsible, and fearless journalism.”
Earlier in his welcome address, NUJ President, Comrade Hassan Yahya Abdullahi, reaffirmed the Union’s unwavering commitment to defending press freedom, upholding ethical standards, and protecting the rights of journalists.
“This day is not only a celebration of World Press Freedom Day,” Abdullahi said, “but also a solemn tribute to journalists who have paid the ultimate price in the defense of truth and democracy.”
He emphasized the indispensable role of the media in any democratic society, noting that “press freedom remains the cornerstone of democracy, enabling citizens to demand transparency and accountability from their leaders.”
Abdullahi also decried the challenges faced by journalists in Nigeria, including harassment, unlawful detention, and threats to life. He called on the Federal Government to move beyond verbal commitments and implement practical measures that guarantee press freedom and safety.
“A society that silences journalists risks losing the truth,” he warned. “Free speech must not only be guaranteed on paper but protected in practice.”
The highlight of the day was the presentation of the NUJ’s annual Journalism Awards to distinguished media practitioners from across the country, recognized for their excellence, integrity, and impact in the field of journalism.
The 2025 World Press Freedom Day event concluded with renewed calls from stakeholders for a freer, safer, and more ethical media landscape in Nigeria, reinforcing the vital role of the press in shaping the country’s democratic future.
