By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The All Progressives Congress (APC), loyal to Former Zamfara State Governor, Hon. Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar (Shattiman Zamfara) has condemned the attack on the property of a Gusau based private online media outfit , Thunder Blowers by hoodlums suspected to be political thugs on Monday January 3, 2022.
Making the condemnation in a Statement signed by the Chairman Publicity Committee of APC Yari faction, the factional Chairman, Hon. Lawal M Liman Gabdon Kaura said the attack on the media outfit should be a source of concern to all true democrats who bank on free, fair and vibrant press to ventilate their Political and Socio economic manifestos to members of the public with a view to canvassing their support to actualize such manifestos in practical terms.
Liman said, “Democracy cannot thrive where the rights of individuals is infringed upon”
He added that if the Press was being caged , intimidated , harrassed or molested through any means by the powers that be the Society would further be plunged into anarchy.
The Chairman opined that it’s unfortunate that such ugly trends in Zamfara State under the Present Administration has now crossed over from the Opposition to members of the Press who were the Fourth Estate of The Realm.
He cautioned that if not properly addressed by the Security Agencies its escalation migh affect the participation or otherwise of the electorates in the build up to 2023 General Elections for the fear of the ‘Unknown.
Hon. Lawal M Liman said that the Press should be encouraged to perform its constitutional role of being the watch dog of the society instead of muscling it for not playing to the gallery by the political operators who found themselves in power either through ballot box or any other means .
He sympathised with the Management and Staff of Thunder Blowers Online News Medium over the unfortunate incident and called on it as well as other members of the Press in the State in Particular and Nigeria in general not to succumb to such blackmail and intimidation from any quarter.
He concluded that it’s always their constitutional duty to be the middle-man between the government and the governed no matter the situation.
