By ETIM ETIM
From every indication, Nigeria’s online newspaper, Premium Times and its editors seem to hold a grudge against Akwa Ibom State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, and will stop at nothing to embarrass him. But the publication has not stated how the governor has offended it. Two notable instances that highlight the Premium Times’ bias and meanness against the governor stand out. Last December, Musikilu Mojeed, the paper’s editor who also serves as the President of International Press Institute (IPI) listed Gov. Eno in IPI’s newly launched register known as ‘’Nigerian Book of Infamy’’. Moojed had said that the register was designed to publicly name government’s officials who perpetrate abuses against journalists and violate press freedom in Nigeria. But Gov. Eno has done nothing wrong to be so tagged. The governor had only, a few months earlier, approved the redeployment of Channels TV correspondent from the Government House.
The correspondent, Chris Moffat, had flouted an embargo placed on a news bulletin by the government. He was the only one that broke the age-old trust and the government was understandably incensed. The matter had long been settled between the news outlet and the government, and there was no reason for Mojeed to embarrass Gov. Eno.
In a recent case, Premium Times twisted an opinion piece I wrote last week on the trending cases of some politicians preparing their children as their successors. The online platform twisted the article, turned into a news item with attribution to me and described me as ‘’Gov. Eno’s campaign official’’. I am not by any means an official of Gov. Eno’s campaign organization; neither am I a personal staff or aide of the governor’s. I belong to a support group that canvasses support for the governor and President Tinubu because they’re doing a fantastic job in the state. My opinion articles, including the one twisted by Premium Times, are my personal opinions. It is therefore disingenuous, unprofessional and an act of meanness for Premium Times to describe my personal piece as the views of the governor’s campaign official.
I am a long-standing opinion writer and an independent journalist who has written on a wide array of subjects in the last four decades. Premium Times had in the past used my articles as sources of news and quoted copiously from them, correctly describing me ‘’one of the leaders of APC in Akwa Ibom State’’. It is therefore shocking and embarrassing for the same publication to turn around and describe me as the governor’s campaign officials just to drag the governor’s name into controversy and cause him disrepute. It is the height of unprofessional journalism.
Premium Times seems to derive joy in hurting Gov. Eno whom, from all indications, has not offended the paper. If there is any way the platform feels it deserves anything special from the governor or the government, the paper should be bold enough to say so. But using its platform as an online newspaper to torment, hurt or ridicule the governor of Akwa Ibom State is a childish and cowardly way of practicing journalism.
Why would a redeployment of a Government House correspondent, who had been on the beat for over ten years, and was culpable of flouting the basic ethics of journalism be seen as a repression of the press by the IPI. Is there more to it? Journalism thrives on the confidence our sources place on us. If journalists become too irresponsible to keep to their ethics, the industry would be irreparably damaged. It is notable that no journalist in Akwa Ibom State has been detained, harassed or invited for questioning by the State government since Eno assumed office in 2023. No media house in the state has been shut down, sanctioned, restricted or barred from doing their duties.
I am aware that the governor meets with the press quite frequently and holds journalists with utmost esteem. The Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, holds press conferences every month just to help the journalists perform their constitutional duties. Under Gov. Eno, Akwa Ibom State government has assisted the NUJ in the state to complete and commission its auditorium building which was under construction for 20 years before Eno became governor. The government has also donated cars to some journalists who did not have one. In all these, Umo Eno had never asked for a quid pro quo! But no good deed goes unnoticed. In October 2024, the NUJ honoured Eno with its ‘’Most Media Friendly Governor’’ award at its 3rd Annual Milestone Recognition Event. Last January, NUJ honoured the governor with an Award of Excellence in Development of Media Infrastructure during its 70th anniversary celebrations. Gov. Eno is therefore not the right candidate for IPI’s sanctions.
On my part, I wish to affirm that Gov. Eno is a dear friend, a capable leader and an outstanding performer. But I regret that Premium Times had used my personal opinion which is quite innocuous, anyway, to mortify the governor. I have already spoken to Pastor Umo Eno and expressed my apologies for the hurt Premium Times had caused him. I have asked my lawyers to review the whole matter and brief me on possible legal redress I may seek.
ETIM ETIM is a veteran journalist and PR professional with over 35 years of cognate experience.
He is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Policy & Politics (www.policyandpolitics.com.ng), an online newspaper dedicated to insightful analysis of Nigerian news and world’s report. He is also a columnist with BusinessDay and The Cable and is a regular contributor to other newspapers.
Contact: +234802 3159969 (WhatsApp Only)
