Obasanjo denies opposing media
2006-07-03 15:40
Lagos - Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo once had a notice posted at the gate of his farm and presidential retreat: "No dogs and journalists allowed".
Obasanjo saw it as a joking reference to what he considered unfair criticism from the press.
The sign was gone, but tensions between the president and the press lingered, and, with elections imminent, local and international human rights activists feared an onslaught on the press reminiscent of the dark days of military rule in Nigeria.
Obasanjo, who stepped down as a military leader in the late 1970s and re-emerged as an elected president in 1999, denied he opposed freedom of expression and of the press.
Two journos held
He said: "I believe that I am one of the most tolerant presidents in the world. I believe responsible journalism has an important role to play in democracy and in any civilised society."
But, he went on to criticise journalists who "fabricate" and said he would sue any who defamed him.
In recent weeks, two Nigerian journalists had been arrested on sedition charges: Rotimi Durojaiye, an aviation reporter for the local Daily Independent; and Gbenga Aruleba, host of a political talk show on an independent TV station.
On June 12, Durojaiye had written a report for his newspaper questioning the true age and cost of a purportedly new jet recently acquired for the presidential fleet. The next day, Aruleba made comments on the same issue on air.
Bukhari Bello, head of the National Human Rights Commission - the official rights monitor - was relieved of his position after he criticised the arrests.
The hope 'is to teach media a lesson'
Clement Nwankwo, a human rights lawyer, said: "What we have here is a president trying to clamp down on the media and those who oppose him. The hope is to teach the media a lesson."
A strong campaign by Obasanjo's supporters to give him an extra term in office after the two allowed by the constitution, had met strong opposition in the mass media. The proposal to amend the constitution was defeated in parliament in May.
Days before the bill was defeated, secret police raided the offices of AIT to confiscate the tape of a documentary tracing previous failed attempts by Nigerian rulers to extend their rule.
The private station said it also received telephone threats over its live transmission of the constitutional debate in parliament, perceived as going against the president.
As military ruler Obasanjo had banned a news magazine that had criticised him.
His soldiers had burned the house of famous Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti weeks after he released a song, "Zombie", ridiculing the military.
Under the military rulers who followed Obasanjo, reporters were jailed for reports that embarrassed the military rulers, and a parcel bomb killed a prominent journalist days after secret police accused him of undermining the government.
- AP