“Political service is a vehicle for impact… There is no need for those who wield political power and authority to oppress anybody…”
Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has charged the Nigerian media not to abdicate its pivotal responsibility in the sustenance of the country’s democracy by holding leaders accountable.
Governor Dickson gave the charge when the management of The Sun Newspapers Limited, led by the Editor-in-Chief/Managing Director, Mr. Eric Osagie, visited him in Abuja, yesterday, to present to him, a nomination letter as the Outstanding Politician of the Year 2018.
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His Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as saying that the country is going through very trying times and that the Fourth Estate of the Realm must be ready to play its key role to ensure the survival of our democracy.
“In any society where the media is not critical or silent and only write what the government wants, then, that society cannot be said to be a democracy,” he said.
Dickson also noted that politics should be a vehicle for service, impact and development rather than an opportunity to use state power to destroy or oppress others.
“Politics should be service to one’s society. It is about building, not destroying. It is not about using state power to oppress and destroy others. These are the things that have informed our brand of service.
Political service is a vehicle for impact, service and development. That is why we have not exploited our privileges to hurt anybody. There is no need for those who wield political power and authority to oppress anybody. Disagreements are normal. We ought to even disagree more in this country because there are fundamental issues to talk about. Those who cannot tolerate anybody have no business in public service.”
On behalf of the government and people of Bayelsa State, the governor expressed profound gratitude and appreciation to the board and management of The Sun for his nomination, and added that it is an encouragement to do more in service of his people and the nation. He described the newspaper as one medium for independent analysis.
