Senate President Bukola Saraki has described the invasion of the Senate chambers by some thugs on Wednesday as a primitive and disgraceful act.
Speaking yesterday at the 4th Anniversary Lecture of an online publication, The Nitche, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, Saraki said the action of the invaders was against good reasoning.
Saraki, who was represented by Senator Ben Bruce, said: “What happened was a disgrace. It made no sense if you think about it, and it was a very primitive adventure.
“If they were looking for a routine change, it was better they followed due process.
“If you were to impeach the President, for instance, you go through the impeachment process and involve the House.
“You will have to get a simple majority or three quarters of the members to get him out. And where you are unable to do that, you simply walk away.”
In his remarks on the theme of the lecture: ‘Development Reporting and Hysteria Journalism in Nigeria’, he commended the media for their role in checkmating the ugly adventure with their “huge role” in apprehending the thugs and stabilising the polity.
He said: “What is important is the role of the media. The media played a very important role to stop this nonsense. You are the defender of democracy.
“As I was watching things unfold on that day, I told myself, if this is happening in the most secure location of Nigeria, what hope do we have for somebody in Maiduguri, Yobe and Adamawa where security has completely fallen apart?
“Politicians must change the way they address people these days, because in the past, when they talked, their comments were limited.
“Today, when they talk, they seem not to be aware they are addressing the world through a broadened media horizon.”
He urged Nigerians to defend democracy irrespective of the threats they face, adding that the invasion of the Senate by some thugs and the carting away of the mace were serious offences and threats to democracy.
The guest speaker, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, said the media would be much impactful if their owners have worldview, noting that developmental journalism was key to economic breakthrough.
He said: “Today, developmental journalism is practised by specific, specialised media. Ironically, this is in the western world in the context of ‘international development’.
“One of the major ways by which the media that play the role of a catalyst in social transformation is through investigative journalism; that is by uncovering evidence of malfeasance and shedding light on social ills.
“Before journalists can carry out their role as watchdogs effectively, they need to have the capacity.
“Typically, Nigerian journalists used to be highly regarded in society. People like the late Dele Giwa made the profession appealing to many.”
The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Remi Sonaiya, said reporters must not compromise their duties, stressing that Nigerians were looking to the critical role they would play in 2019.
She said: “What the media should do at this point is for it to let Nigerians know that they have option in the unfolding political development. It should present to Nigeria all the options available.
“Unfortunately, during the last election, the options were not clearly elaborated. The media rather concentrated on a few political parties who they gave undue advantage over others.
“Such a situation should be avoided at this very point in time and for the good of the country.”
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