The Nigerian Presidency has invited managers of a section of the Nigeria media to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, for what is being promoted as
“security briefing” that would hold on Friday. The critical New Media sub-sector of the industry is shut out of the parley.
Friday’s meeting is expected to canvass and compromise the editors, editors-in-chief and Managing Directors who have criticized the administration for its opaque handling of public affairs.
The meeting, according to sources familiar with the initial arrangements, is expected to soften the belligerent editorial stance of the daily titles and probably seek the cooperation of the senior journalists invited in tempering harsh criticisms of economic woes currently confronting the confused leadership of the country.
The invitations sent out to concerned media outlets showed clearly that the government has intensified its well known policy of crippling the new media sub-sector on the choice of those specified to be at the meeting described as “security briefing”. The nation is besieged on several front by insurgency, economic recession and political tension. While some of the journalists expected at Friday’s meeting believe that the myriads of issues could be the reason for the forum, another school of thought, however, thinks that the opportunity of the discussion may be an avenue to dish out largesse to the media gatekeepers who have lately publish the honest status of the hardships in the country.
No known Editor-In-Chief, Editor or Managing Director of online outlets is included in the guest list. The online media, mostly based outside Nigeria, with employed staff within the country are the most dreaded and worst targeted in the official policy of Buhari’s administration to fight journalist without promulgating any decree: government simply ensures that those outlets are not given advert patronage or accredited to cover critical events.
A source familiar with the meeting slated for Friday told Sharpedgenews that unlike what used to obtain during similar previous meetings with media gate-keepers, the meeting is enlarged to accommodate more than editors of daily titles. Editors would be coming with their Managing Directors, Editors-In-Chief and other relevant associates. Their transportation, feeding and accommodation would be taken care of by the Nigerian Presidency.
A source familiar with the invitation extended to the Senior Journalists disclosed that one or two online newspaper editors based in Nigeria may have been accommodated in the arrangement.
The Nigerian media industry has not been spared the crippling pressure of the tight fiscal policy of the Muhammadu Buhari government. Many of them have not paid workers’ salaries for months. Many of them are also black-listed as adversaries of the administration.