The Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio has thrown his weight behind the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) at the seventh annual general conference (AGM) which is ongoing at the Abuja Continental Hotel, in the Federal Capital Territory.
Akpabio who was represented by the his Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity Mr Eseme Eyiboh, spoke at the business meeting with critical stakeholders, organised by GOCOP on Wednesday, as part of its two-day conference.
He said the media which is the conscience of the nation must continue to be eternally vigilant and rid the media space of misfits who have seized the online space to propagate fake news.
He described the presence of GOCOP especially at this time as the best thing to happen to Nigeria media, and urged the publishers to continue to cooperate with the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his determination to banish poverty and lack in Nigeria.
Akpabio who described the media as the true representatives of the people urged the online publishers to continue to be guided by the tenets of the profession and continue to hold the government accountable to the people.
“Despite everything, the media is without any doubt the true representatives of the people, because the people listen to them and those in power are in perpetual awe of the powers they wield on the people. We can only urge you to continue to support the initiatives of the government which is for the interest and growth of the masses of the country.
He assured Nigerians that the National Assembly, especially, the Senate where he is the president would continue to defend the rights of the average Nigerians and continue to put in place laws that would promote their wellbeing.
He assured Nigerians that the National Assembly will not end up as rubber stamp to the whims of the executive, adding that rather, both tiers of power will continue to work in the common interest of Nigerians.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abass, also at the event, urged the media to strive to give fair reportage to happenings in the National Assembly.
The Speaker who was represented by his Chief Press Secretary Mr Leke Bayewu said as a critical stakeholder in the task of nation building, the media will continue to occupy a critical space in the National Assembly.
He charged the online publishers to do more by ensuring that the right messages and initiatives of the government are pushed into the public space for the people to continue to have the right message from the government.
Also present at the event are the corporate affairs managers of some government agencies among them Mr Femi babafemi, of the Nigeria Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who was represented at the event, representative of the Nigeria Customs Service Mai Wada, the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information of the Nigeria Air Force, Group Captain K. Ali. Others are the Corporate Affairs Nestle Foods Nigeria Plc, Victoria Uwadoka, and the Manager, Corporate Communications, Stanley Opara, who affirmed the astuteness of many of the publishers as seasoned professionals who have continued to hold their own in the profession.