Buhari Refuses to Apologise for Jailing Journalists in 1984

Despite his recent assertions that he is a reformed democrat ready to comply with the tenets of the Nigerian Constitution, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday failed to apologise for his government’s promulgation of the draconian Decree 4, which empowered him to gag the press and jail two journalists – Nduka Irabor and Tunde Thompson – who worked for The Guardian Newspaper when he was military head of state 31 years ago.

Buhari, who during an interactive session yesterday in Abuja with proprietors of newspapers who met him under the auspices of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NSO), missed the golden opportunity for a mea culpa when he was pointedly asked by the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY, Nduka Obaigbena, if he was prepared to offer an apology to the journalists jailed by his military junta in 1984.

Instead of responding to the question, it was the Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, who interjected, quoting Buhari’s earlier declaration: “I cannot change the past, but I can change the present and the future.”

Even after Amaechi’s attempt to provide an escape route for the former military head of state, Buhari throughout his session with the media executives failed to express regrets for his actions more than three decades years ago.

The best the Nigerian press got from the retired general was an undertaking that his administration, if elected president in the coming elections, will respect media rights and uphold the supremacy of the constitution of the country.

Buhari said he would ensure that the Nigerian constitution is upheld, including respect for the media, respect for the right to free expression and freedom of speech.

“I am not only subjecting myself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time, but even after being elected, I will continue to promote the consolidation of democracy in our great country, Nigeria, by guaranteeing that the media’s freedom is not compromised in any way.

“I give you my full assurances that the Nigerian media will be free under our APC government,” he said. (Thisdaylive)