The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described as an indictment on Hope Uzodinma’s administration, the report that Imo State is the most dangerous and hostile environment for journalism practice in Nigeria.
The Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development, CJID, had in a recent research on openness index report, claimed that Imo State is hostile to the media.
The PDP expressed dismay at how the state earned yet another bad record with the recent report.
The spokesperson of the PDP in the state, Lancelot Obiaku, in a press statement made available to Journalists, stated that the recent report, titled “State of Press Freedom in Nigeria” is a heavy blow to the image of the state under the present administration.
The report which was presented in Abuja, assessed press freedom across Nigeria’s 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory.
He added that the report revealed widespread repression, intimidation and obstruction to journalism practice by state actors, with Imo State taking the 37th position and scoring below average at 40.7 percent which he noted as the lowest rating in the entire country.
Obiaku pointed out that the report is another sad commentary on what he termed Uzodinma’s cruel regime, characterized by high-handedness and abuse of power, which, according to him, has only managed to set the state on the path of regression in all sectors.
“It presents a sordid trend under the present administration, wherein a once upward-bound state that bore some hope now finds itself tethering ashamedly at the base of all good governance indicators, including accountability, transparency, responsiveness, effectiveness and efficiency.
“For a stagnant state ravaged by insecurity and poverty, these records constantly remind Imo people of their pain in the hands of the rather clueless and mindlessly insensitive Uzodinma administration.” the release stated.
He asserted that the present administration of Uzodinma and its agents, by obstructing press freedom and keeping the activities of government out of public knowledge, only portrayed his administration as a failure, emenshed in corruption.
The PDP spokesperson remarked that the party, a strong believer in freedom of speech, is urging the state government headed by Uzodinma to show good commitment in changing the recent report portraying the state in a bad light.
The party advised Uzodinma to encourage press freedom by providing a media friendly environment and necessary legal framework that will allow journalistic work to thrive in the State.
