THE CENTRE for Public Integrity has called on security agencies to take action against former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, over what it described as an unwarranted attack on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) following its recent “Man of the Year” award to the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Job Samuel Danfulani, the group said Sowore’s comments against the NUJ crossed the boundaries of decency and constituted an affront to the journalism profession.
The Centre said it found troubling a social media post by Sowore criticising the NUJ for honouring the DSS chief, arguing that while he had the right to disagree with the award, such criticism should be expressed responsibly and within the confines of the law.
According to the group, Ajayi’s leadership has earned recognition from notable media organisations, including the International Press Institute (IPI), which commended him for promoting press freedom and improving relations between the DSS and journalists. It also noted that the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) honoured the DSS chief with a “Friend of the Media” award earlier this year.
The organisation questioned why Sowore did not object to previous recognitions bestowed on Ajayi by the IPI and BON but chose to criticise the award presented by the NUJ, the umbrella body of journalists in Nigeria.
It further cited actions taken under Ajayi’s leadership, including the removal of veteran journalist Lanre Arogundade from the DSS watchlist and the withdrawal of charges against an online newspaper and its staff, as evidence of a more open and law-abiding approach by the security agency.
The Centre maintained that journalists reserve the right to commend or criticise public officials based on verifiable facts and performance, adding that the NUJ’s decision to honour Ajayi followed its assessment of his efforts in fostering cooperation between security agencies and the media.
Danfulani urged the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS to investigate Sowore’s comments, while also calling on human rights organisations and members of the media to condemn what he described as an attack on the dignity of journalists and their professional bodies.
The group also appealed to the DSS Director-General not to allow the controversy distract him from his commitment to the rule of law and continued engagement with the media.
“The dignity of journalists and their institutions must be respected. Freedom of expression should not be used as a licence to disparage others,” the statement said.
