Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration remains a strong ally of the media and will continue to protect journalists’ rights and promote press freedom across the country.
Shettima gave the assurance when he hosted NUJ leadership at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, reaffirming that President Tinubu has always supported the journalism profession and will not deviate from his record of defending media integrity.
According to the Vice President, the media plays a crucial role in sustaining democracy, describing journalists as the “lifewire of the nation.” He added that the government expects the media to uphold accountability and truth in governance while ensuring accurate information reaches the public.
> “In President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have a friend and ally who has always stood with the Nigerian media,” Shettima said. “This administration will continue to promote, project, and preserve the interests of journalism. We can’t afford to muzzle the press.”
He emphasized that the media remains the conscience of the nation and must never be intimidated or silenced. Citing past leaders like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Obafemi Awolowo — all former journalists — Shettima noted that journalism has always shaped Nigeria’s political history.
In a report by Mediaplusng.com, the Vice President also acknowledged the challenges confronting the media, including unpaid salaries and economic hardship affecting several organizations. He assured that President Tinubu will support efforts to strengthen the journalism industry, urging the NUJ to stay hopeful.
> “Be rest assured that the President will render his support to your organization. We cannot allow the journalism profession to die,” Shettima said.
He further explained that President Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidies was in the national interest, emphasizing that ongoing reforms are aimed at rebuilding the economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Earlier, NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, urged the Vice President to advocate for stronger protection of journalists, a review of outdated libel laws, and decriminalization of press offenses. He also called for a national safety protocol in collaboration with security agencies to protect reporters in the line of duty.
Abdullahi proposed government partnerships with the media sector through training grants, tax reliefs, soft loans, and a special bailout fund to support struggling news organizations. He also recommended the creation of a permanent government–media liaison platform under the Office of the Vice President to improve communication and prevent misinformation.
As gathered by Mediaplusng.com, the NUJ President commended the Tinubu administration’s reform efforts and economic recovery drive. He pledged that the Nigerian press will continue to support national development while maintaining its duty to “speak truth to power” for the survival of democracy.
> “We are institutional partners and will not be drowned in the false narrative that the media must be antagonistic to government,” Abdullahi said. “We will applaud what’s right and hold government accountable when necessary.”
