Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that the current government has neither harassed, shut down, nor silenced any media organization.
Speaking on Wednesday at the 2025 All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) held at the State House, Abuja, Idris asserted that this is due to the administration’s conscious commitment to the constitutional principles of press freedom.
He described President Bola Tinubu’s attendance at the event as a historic moment, marking the first time a sitting Nigerian leader had personally attended the Guild’s annual conference.
He said the gesture underscored the high regard the administration has for the media as a vital pillar of democracy.
He said, “It is significant to note that not a single radio or television station has been threatened, gagged, or shut down by this government for expressing dissent. This is not a coincidence but a conscious commitment to the constitutional principles of press freedom.”
The Minister noted that this level of tolerance and respect for dissenting voices reflected President Tinubu’s own democratic credentials, rooted in his history of resilience against authoritarianism.
“President Tinubu is a personification of the same resilience and struggle that define the Nigerian media. Like you, he has stood firm against the tides of oppression. He understands that a vibrant, independent media is not the adversary of government, but the bedrock of a true and lasting democracy,” he added.
Idris said the President’s courage in past battles, including his resistance to the unconstitutional withholding of funds from Lagos State’s local councils during his tenure as governor, demonstrated the same spirit that drives his current reform efforts at the national level.
“With unwavering conviction, President Tinubu is steering our nation through tough but necessary reforms to birth a more prosperous Nigeria. The difficult decisions have been taken, from the removal of the oil subsidy to the unification of the naira. Now we move to a fairer tax regime designed to fund infrastructure, education, and healthcare,” the minister added.
He assured that the government’s ongoing reforms were guided by the same principles of openness and inclusion that define its relationship with the media, adding that the administration welcomes constructive criticism as part of democratic engagement.
“The government of President Tinubu has demonstrated its faith in you through its actions, not just its words. We invite you to engage, to critique constructively, and to report with the responsibility that this moment in our history demands,” he told the editors.
