USAID, FBFI, others carpet FG over alleged censorship of press, says it portends danger for 2023 general elections

The United States Agency for International Development, (USAID), Food Basket Foundation International and other agencies have decried the Federal government alleged censorship of press.

They submitted that the development portend danger for the nation”s democracy, especially the forthcoming general election.

It was alleged that the Federal government through obnoxious laws among which is Cybercrime Act of 2015 have been able to gag the press.

These laws, according to the International agencies are enacted in order to gag the press and, therefore, deprived the public of vital information on the activities of the government.

This development, if remains unchecked portend danger for the corporate existence of the nation, especially now that it’s warming up for the conduct of the 2023 general elections

This was the position of the Chief Executive Officer of FBFI, Dr. Funmi Akinyele who led other representatives of various Civil Society Organizations, Non Governmental Organizations and other critical stakehokders at a media parley organized FBFI in partnership with USAID in Ibadan.

Akinyele who decried the use of legislative instrument at surpressing the press stated that the success of 2023 general elections depend on the disposition of the government to the media

According to her, ” The use of current and future legislative instrument poses danger to N8geria”s online civic space

Governments continue to impose legal and sometimes, extreme restrictions on civil society in the face of a deteriorating larger political landscape.

The government has used legislation such as the cybercrime Act of 2015 to threaten and imprison online activists who are actively demanding accountability from government.

The government has consistently repressed both offline and digital spaces including the press from exercising such freedom exercising such freedom of information.

Disturbed by the development, the FBFI, therefore, stressed the need for all stakehokders including the media to come together to resist the government plan to suroress the media through dissemination of false cum fake information

She added that the misuse and repression of both offline and digital civic spaces has contributed to the oerceptions mostly negative, of members of the International community about Nigeria