Journalist cautions CCT Chairman over comment
The statement credited to the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) advocating the return of Decree 2, to detain journalists without trial has been described as oppressive and undemocratic.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the immediate past Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Zone B, Dele Atunbi says the advocacy for the return of decree 2 under a democratic setting is coercive.
The former labour leader said for an officer of the temple of justice to be advocating for journalists to be detained without trial is quite unfortunate and unexpected from a purported interpreter of the law.
“As members of the forth estate of the realm, we take judicial notice of this statement attributed to the high ranking member of the bench who should protect and respect fundamental human rights.
“The CCT Chairman holding a privileged position should equally caution himself on his utterances about journalists who are patriotic in the discharge of their social responsibility.
“As journalists we are quick to point the attention of the CCT Chairman to the fact that his advocacy is an infringement on our fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution”.
The former labour leader condemns in strong terms the advocacy for the detention of journalists without trial “as we are forced to ask where is the presumption of innocence and the Constitutional right to fair hearing.”
The former Vice President of Zone B demands a retraction of this reprehensive and retrogressive statement credited to the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
