From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Senator Henry Seriake has commended the Nigerian media for its critical role in promoting and defending democratic governance in Nigeria.
Dickson recalled that the media played a frontline role in the campaign against the military which eventually culminated in democratic governance in 1999.
The Senator made the comment while being confirmed with an award by the Senate Press Corp in Abuja on Friday.
He stressed that the Media did not just act as a midwife for the nation’s democracy but had been working assiduously with its operators to ensure its growth and development.
According to him, the political class is delighted that the media is active in deepening democratic governance in the country.
He called for effective collaboration between the political elites and the media noting that democracy must not be abandoned to the politicians alone.
Dickson also observed that the legislature is at the heart of the process of deepening democracy without which there would be no democracy.
He said, “We (the politicians) are aware of our duty to collaborate with you at all times, because the task of deepening, protecting our democracy cannot be left to politicians, the political parties, and even on the citizens of our country alone,
“In this task of deepening our democracy, the legislature is at the heart of the nation’s democracy because without the legislature, we don’t have a democracy anymore, and we appreciate all Senators, and indeed all of us who are operatives of our nation’s democracy, the role that the Nigerian media continues to play, previously, now and in the feature.
“ We are aware of our duty to collaborate with you at all times, because the task of deepening, protecting our democracy cannot be left to politicians, the political parties, and even on the citizens of our country alone, without the participation of the Nigerian media, and we are delighted that the Nigeria media has been very active in this regards.
“The media fought in the days of the military, played a key role, a leading role in ushering in our nation’s democracy, and we are as also grateful that did not just acted as midwife of our nation’s democracy and abandoned the fledgling baby of our nation’s democracy to its operatives
“The media has behaved as dutiful nurses working with all other operators to nurture and deepen our democracy. And we appreciate the work that the Nigeria media has been doing and will continue to do. And we encourage you to fulfil your constitutional duties of informing, of educating the Nigerian people, and also upholding elected leaders to account, that you have been doing.”