…as TheNiche Newspaper celebrate 4th anniversary
By Gabriel Olawale
The lawmaker representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Firday send a strong warning to those behind the mace theft saga at the Senate to forget their hidden agenda of influencing a change in Senate leadership.
Sen. Bruce[/caption
Murray-Bruce, who spoke on behalf of Senate President, Bukola Saraki at TheNiche 4th anniversary lecture in Lagos, said it would be honourary for those that mastermind the evil act to follow the part of democracy.
“What happened was a disgrace and does not make any sense. Looking at it critically, they were working for change in Senate leadership, but they left what they suppose to do and engaged in undemocratic act.
“If you want to impeach the President for instance, all you need to do is to put it into vote and majority will have their way instead of stealing the mace.
Murray-Bruce added that there was clear evidence of conspiracy in the whole scenario, “come to think of it, behind us is where the President lives, so to access and escape through the back where the President lives, considering the presence of security gives room for many questions that need answers.
“As far as Senate President Bukola Saraki is concerned, he is a good man, there will be no regime change, they are only wasting time.
Murray-Bruce however, commended the media for active role played by informing the whole world.
“Those perpetrators are not genius, they thought we are in the era of 1945 to 1960 when there was only NTA and FRCN where they could decide to break news four days later. With modern day media, information breaks on a go.”
Speaking on the theme, “Development Reporting and Hysteria Journalism in Nigeria”, Former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria and Presidential aspirant, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu said that the tradition of investigative journalism is dying slowly as news becomes commercialized.
He pointed out that the only way developmental journalism can still be practice in a society like Nigeria was through investigative journalism, “but sadly we do not have enough of this.
“There is so much that is wrong with our country today and vibrant investigative journalism can help to change what is wrong in our country.
In her own contribution, Professor of French Language and Applied Linguistics, Obafemi Awolowo University and former Presidential Candidate, Prof. Remi Sonaiya urged the media to avail Nigerians with all the available options as 2019 Election is approaching.
“Media need to be neutral and allow all the aspirants to present their agenda to Nigerians because during the last election only the two front runner were projected and we can all see where we are now as a country.
Managing Director of The Niche, Ikechukwu Amaechi who spoke during the unveiling of The Niche Foundation said that as a newspaper organisation, they are committed to meeting the needs of the reading Nigerian public that has been clamouring for investigative journalism and balanced reportage.