From Bashir Mayere, Abuja.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has felicitated with the Nigerian journalists as they celebrate this year’s World Press Freedom Day.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi, in Abuja on Sunday said that May 3rd was set aside every year to remind governments around the world of their obligation to facilitate and respect press freedom.
He explained that the commemoration of the day was also to remind journalists the need to respect the ethics of their profession.
The Senate President said he was proud that Nigeria had a vibrant media that have always resolutely defended freedom of speech.
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Ahmad Lawan emphasised further that freedom of the press enables journalists to effectively discharge their roles as the watchdog of the society and Fourth Estate of the Realm.
“I pay tribute to the patriots who have lost their lives in the line of duty and pray that their death will not be in vain.
“The Ninth Senate and the National Assembly in general will never pass any law that inhibits the freedom of the press but rather work with the media to further enhance the practice of the profession.
“It is in this light that I call on the practitioners to purge their noble profession of the bad eggs whose nefarious activities are denting the credibility and reputation of the mainstream practitioners, the Senate President added.