Editors’ confab: Oshiomhole carpets FG, Jega hails media

BENIN-GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Thursday, at the Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGEs’ conference in Benin, said lack of democratic dividends for Nigerians was a great threat to the nation’s democracy.
He warned that it would be difficult for democracy to be deepened in the country unless the Federal Government provides basic amenities to the people. According to him, for the nation to grow, the Federal Government must take the lead since it collects 72 per cent of the nation’s revenue, while the states are left with 28 per cent.
Oshiomhole said: “My fear for this democracy is that it is not delivering the dividends to the people. When that happens, the people will not be able to defend the democracy when there is a problem. So we must ensure that government delivers the dividends of democracy to the people. Official statistics shows that Nigerians are too poor.”
On his part, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, commended the media for their support during the April 2011 general elections. He recalled the problems the commission was confronted with before the elections, but said the commission was able to make the best out of the time given for both the voters register and the election.
Jega, who was represented by Prince Solomon Soyemi, a Commissioner in INEC, said: “Whatever gains were recorded in the April elections would have been impossible without the massive support of the media to the electoral process. The Nigerian editor is well positioned to water the tendrils of our democracy and help enthrone the culture of good governance.”

Source:  Vanguard Newspaper