The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday reaffirmed Senate’s commitment toward upholding the rights of the media.

Saraki gave the assurance while briefing newsmen on the event of World Press Freedom Day in Abuja.

“As we all know, today is World Press Freedom Day, a day that gives all of us, both members and non-members of the press, an opportunity to reflect and reaffirm our commitment to upholding the rights of the media.

“This is because, time and time again, as demonstrated throughout history, the power of the pen has been proven to be more potent than the power of the sword.

“The stories that you tell, the articles that you write, the videos that you edit and release on your various platforms, have the power to shape public perception,” he said.

According to him, the media, especially here in Nigeria, have played a crucial role as watchdog at various points of our momentous history.

Saraki said that the media must evolve beyond carrying ordinary propaganda and sensational news to sell newspapers and increase viewership to pushing out truthful, verifiable and pertinent information to the public.

“All of you here have the power to shape all that happens here, by pushing relevant issues, not stories of who is insulting who or what Senator A said about Senator B.

“You have the opportunity to define the discourse in the public arena, and by so doing, positively define our agenda.

“I urge you all to look beyond the propaganda that is being sponsored to put down the Senate and judge us based on facts and figures about our genuine performance.

”These facts and figures are readily available, therefore, judge us by our actions. You participate indirectly in our daily plenary, committee and oversight sessions.

“You are a constant feature around here. So, please let the public know and understand that this Senate is working for them, and it is people-centred.

The US Consul General in Nigeria, Mr John Bray on the occasion of this year’s World Press Freedom Day marked in Lagos paid special tribute to the courage of the Nigerian press.

He said:  “Before my arrival in Nigeria four years ago I had read about the courage and sheer doggedness of the Nigerian press in the dark days of military dictatorship.  In my time here, I have seen that you are still the voice of the forgotten. You have not lost your thirst for the truth or your willingness to go wherever a story leads you, thereby contributing to transparency, accountability, and good governance in your country.

“The United States strongly supports freedom of the press. We believe that an unfettered press is essential for democracy to thrive. The United States passed the Freedom of Information Act in July 1966, which went into effect the following year.  Since then, there have been numerous amendments to strengthen the law.

“More recently, on May 17, 2010 to be specific, former U.S. President Barack Obama, signed the Freedom of the Press Act, named after Wall Street reporter Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan, four months after the September 11 attacks in the United States.

The United States however understands that with more freedom comes more responsibility. Advances in technology and increased reliance on social media platforms as sources of information make the accuracy and objectivity of your reporting crucial. Check and double check your facts before you put out a story- this increases your personal credibility and the reliability of your platform. Be thorough in your research and strive to look for every side of a story before you hit “send”.