PDP, HURIWA Condemn Growing Attacks on Journalists in Imo, Kaduna

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Imo State Chapter and a Pro-democracy and non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) have raised the alarm at the growing suppression of media rights in Imo and Kaduna states.

The two bodies condemned the recent banning of the THISDAY and Vanguard Newspaper reporters, Messers Amby Uneze and Chidi Nkwopara by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, from covering government activities, thereby stopping them from carrying out their constitutional duties of reporting and holding the government accountable in the discharge of their constitutional duties to the people.

In a release signed by the Party's State Publicity Secretary, Damian Opara said "the PDP State Executive Council after a very careful and painstaking review of the purported ban in an emergency meeting views the ban as a breach of the constitutional rights of the journalists and hereby condemn the action of Governor Rochas Okorocha in its totality.”

The party observed that one of the tenets of any democracy was the freedom of information and noted that it must be respected by all segments of the government in the State, adding “the purported ban of the two journalists from carrying out their legitimate duties is to show the whole World how the Governor is becoming increasingly intolerant of opposing views to his draconian style of governance.

“The APC government of Imo State under Governor Rochas Okorocha has done so much harm to the people of Imo State and has completely lost popularity and sympathy of the people, through his maladministration and should not transfer his aggressions to innocent Journalists who are carrying out their constitutional duties in Imo State.