Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said today that the Buhari administration will collaborate with the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) to host a hitch-free 2018 World Congress of the Global Network of Free Media,.
He gave the assurance when the board of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI), paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa to intimate him on plans for the forthcoming event scheduled for Abuja in June 2018.
According to the Acting President, “It is a very important opportunity for Nigeria to showcase ourselves and also to show that Nigeria is safe and secure for business. It is also an opportunity to advertise all of our ease of doing business initiatives.’’
The Acting President also assured the visiting IPI board that states could participate in the hosting of the event especially as it provides “an important opportunity for tourism and for them to showcase some of the great initiatives that they have.’’
He urged the local organizing committee to consider putting on the agenda of the event, the issue of hate speech and its implications for our polity and for peace and security.
According to him, “the forum is an important one for raising the question of hate speech and its implications for our country, for our polity and for peace and security.’’
He added: “somehow these things are resonating all over the world, new found nationalism and all of that. But I think for us here in Nigeria, it is a very important issue.
“I think that it is important that we find ways of controlling these things. I think that we owe a responsibility, especially leaders of journalism, to find ways of dealing with this issue because it is a cancer.’’
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and chairman of THISDAY newspapers, Nduka Obaigbena solicited the support the Federal Government in the hosting of the event in different areas including, the provision of a secured and safe environment for delegates, visas on arrival amongst others.
Obaigbena stated that the issue of hate speech will indeed form one of the thematic issues to be discussed during the IPI congress.
He thanked the Acting President for the pledge to support IPI Nigeria in the hosting a hitch-free congress.
The Acting President later thanked the delegation for the visit and for their efforts in ensuring that Nigeria was given the opportunity to host the IPI World congress.