Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, yesterday reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s firm commitment to press freedom, declaring that no media organisation in Nigeria has been harassed, shut down, or silenced by the Federal Government.
Speaking at the 2025 All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) held at the State House, Abuja, the Minister described President Bola Tinubu’s attendance at the event as a historic moment — the first time a sitting Nigerian leader would personally attend the Guild’s annual conference.
According to him, the gesture underscored the high regard the administration has for the media as a vital pillar of democracy. “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”, Idris stated. “This is not a coincidence, but a conscious commitment to the constitutional principles of press freedom”, he added.
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,” he said. “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”.
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 Minister stated. “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”, he told the editors.
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.
Idris also announced that Nigeria had been selected to host the International Media and Information Literacy Institute — a recognition, he said, of the country’s growing global reputation for promoting media freedom and literacy.
The Minister called on editors to see themselves as partners in national renewal, and to tell Nigeria’s story with balance, truth, and optimism. “Let us work together to tell the Nigerian story with balance, with truth, and with an unyielding belief in the promise of our great nation”, he stressed.
