The lawsuit claims President Tinubu unlawfully banned 25 journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa. On Friday, SERAP sued the President in Lagos’ Federal High Court.
The Federal Government reportedly revoked 25 journalists’ accreditations to cover Presidential Villa activities in Abuja.
The impacted media were instructed to submit accreditation tags at the Presidential Villa’s main gate.
SERAP filed suit number FHC/L/CS/1766/23 last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos to “direct and compel President Tinubu to reverse the revocation of the accreditations and ban on 25 journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa.”
SERAP wants “an order of perpetual injunction to restrain President Tinubu or any other authority, person or group of persons from arbitrarily and unilaterally revoking the accreditations of any journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa.”
SERAP wants “a declaration that the withdrawal and revocation of accreditation tags and ban on journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa without any lawful justifications is inconsistent with the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, participation, and media freedom.”
SERAP sues Tinubu
SERAP claims in the action that “If not reversed, the arbitrary ban on the journalists from covering the Presidential Villa would open the door to other cases of arbitrariness and would restrict people’s right to freedom of expression, access to information, participation, and media freedom.”
SERAP further claims that “Withdrawing journalist accreditations is without lawful justifications.” It violates plurality, diversity, non-discrimination, democratic society’s just demands, and the public interest.
According to SERAP lawyers Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, Kolawole Oluwadare, and Valentina Adegoke, “The ban on the journalists from covering the Presidential Villa fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.”
The media is crucial for freedom of expression and access to information in a democratic society.SERAP further claims that “Withdrawing journalist accreditations is without lawful justifications.” It violates plurality, diversity, non-discrimination, democratic society’s just demands, and the public interest.
According to SERAP lawyers Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, Kolawole Oluwadare, and Valentina Adegoke, “The ban on the journalists from covering the Presidential Villa fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.”
The media is crucial for promoting freedom of expression and access to information in democratic societies.Free, independent, vibrant, pluralistic, and diversified media are vital for democratic society.
The free transmission of ideas and news requires a variety of sources and media venues. The lack of information sources hinders democracy.
“Media freedom of expression is essential for collective deliberation on public and democratic issues.
Strengthening freedom of expression is a precondition for exercising other human rights and the right to informed and reasoned involvement.
“Freedom and diversity must guide media freedom promotion under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party. These concepts are incompatible with the 25 journalist ban.
“The federal government should promote and expand media freedom, access to information, freedom of expression, and citizen participation, not restrict them.
“Barring journalists and media houses from covering the Presidential Villa prevents them from fulfilling their constitutional duty.
The removal of these journalists’ accreditation badges undermines media freedom and human rights, including access to information and participation. It would chill newsgathering and reporting and may lead to self-censorship.
The revocation of media accreditations would prevent Nigerians from receiving constitutionally protected government information.
Media freedom, information availability, and engagement are essential for open and responsible governance. The fundamental freedoms of a democracy overcome ambiguous justifications like ‘security concerns and congestion of the press gallery area.’
On 18 August 2023, the Federal Government cancelled the accreditation badges of 25 journalists and media houses from monitoring Presidential Villa activities in Abuja, according to sources.
The Vanguard newspaper, Galaxy TV, Ben TV, MITV, ITV Abuja, PromptNews, ONTV, and Liberty journalists were banned. The withdrawal largely affects television, print, and web reporters and cameramen.
Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution states that “the press, radio, television, and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”
The Constitution states in Section 14(2)(c) that ‘the participation by the people in their governance will be secured in conformity with the provisions of this Constitution.’
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights states in Article 9 that “Every individual shall have the right to receive information.” People have the right to express and share their thoughts.
Article 13 of the Charter states, ‘Every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the governing of his nation. Every citizen has equal access to national public services. Everyone has access to public property and services.
“Articles 19 and 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights contain similar provisions.”
No date has been set for the suit hearing.
Source: Journalist101.com
