UZODIMMA, DOKPESI JNR, NIPR RALLY FOR MEDIA PACT, NATIONAL CENTRE

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has called for a stronger partnership between government, the media and citizens, saying cooperation is essential to national development and democratic accountability.

He spoke on Sunday in Abuja at the third Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture, themed “Media, Democratic Consolidation and Development.”

DAAR Communications Chairman Raymond Dokpesi Jnr and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations President Dr Ike Neliaku also joined the call for a renewed partnership in honour of the late media pioneer.

Uzodimma urged public officials to stop viewing journalists as enemies and protect press freedom, even when reporting raises uncomfortable questions.

He proposed a three-way agreement in which government respects independent journalism, media organisations uphold professional standards, and citizens take responsibility for the information they consume and share.

Under the arrangement, he said media owners should place ethics above commercial or political interests, while journalists should prioritise thorough investigation and responsible reporting.

Citizens, he added, should verify sources, reject content that fuels ethnic divisions and support independent journalism.

The governor stressed that public scrutiny helps establish whether money allocated to roads, schools and hospitals delivers the promised results.

He also praised the late Raymond Dokpesi’s contribution to broadcasting, describing AIT as an important platform for independent public debate since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999.