2019: Nigerian media promote only APC, PDP; neglects others – former presidential candidate

A former presidential candidate of the Kowa Party in the 2015 election, Remi Sonaiya on Friday expressed concern over the attention given to the top political parties at the detriment of others in the country.

She said most media practitioners serve as projectors of either People Democratic Party (PDP) or the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to the exclusion of the other political parties.

“The media seems not to understand the critical role they are supposed to play as vital stakeholders in the Nigerian project. They are so concentrated on reporting the two major political parties.

“Several times, Kowa Party will invite the media for a conference and other reasonable things, and they will not show up.

“But when PDP or APC is doing something, they will run there. Of course, because they will get more money.”

Sonaiya said if the media see themselves as critical interest group in the polity, they will know it is their duty to let Nigerians know what options they have in the political space.

She lamented that the attempt to change all the evil things happening to Nigeria and around the world would be impossible if the journalists who are supposed to educate the people do not even recognise their primary duties.

On Thursday’s Lagos tanker fire accident, Sonaiya blamed it on indiscipline on the part of government and lack of a well-structured system to bury this indiscipline.

“If those in government over years were disciplined enough to restrict the movement of trucks and tankers, she said the roads would not always serve as death traps for citizens.

“Sometimes when these trucks are on the roads, you see sparks. Some of them do not even understand the side of the road they belong. You see them fighting for space on the road with cars. The trucks, tankers, and others should have their lane and be restricted to some places because they are highly inflatable,” she said.