The Federal Government has commended the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC) for what it described as “its impartial and thorough investigation”, which found Daily Trust‘s report on the Samoa Agreement to be inaccurate, misleading, and not in line with the Code of Ethics for Nigerian journalists.
On Monday, NMCC (better known as the Ombudsman) released the report of its investigation into a complaint made to it against the Daily Trust by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
On 13 July, this year, Daily Trust published a report on the 2023 Samoa Agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific and Caribbean States (OACPS), of which Nigeria is a signatory. The newspaper said that the “Samao agreement constitutes a welcome opportunity for Nigeria to be disposed for more constructive participation in the wide room for international collaboration, especially in export trade. This is a multilateral agreement among nations with unequal economic endowments, disparate political systems, as well as cultural orientations”.
In its 19-page report released on Monday, the commission said that, after scrutinising the complaint of the government, as well as the response of the newspaper, which it had sought and obtained, it found the Daily Trust story complained about as “inaccurate”.
The NMCC, however, also accused the Federal Government of poor handling of issues around the Samoa Agreement it signed, stating that had the government demonstrated “greater openness, transparency and accountability” in dealing with matters relating to the deal, “the attendant conjectures and speculations about the content of the Samoa Agreement could have been avoided”.
The Ombudsman asked the Daily Trust to issue an apology for the inaccuracies in its report on the Samoa Agreement.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim said that the ruling by the Nigerian media Ombudsman “serves as a testament to the importance of journalistic integrity and accountability and also a reminder of the crucial role the media plays in shaping public perception through truthful and accurate reporting”.
The statement further read: “The public expects that news outlets will adhere strictly to professional ethics and conduct by ensuring that their reportage is factual, fair, and balanced. This way, injurious reporting such as the one done by Daily Trust could be effectively avoided.
“The Federal Government recognises hat a free press is a pillar of democracy but with this freedom comes the responsibility to report news in a manner that is accurate and devoid of misinformation. It is only through this commitment to truth that the media can effectively hold the government and institutions accountable.
“The Federal Government appreciates the recommendations made by the NMCC, including the directive to Daily Trust to issue a public apology for its false report on the Samoa Agreement and take measures to prevent future occurrence.
“The call for increased transparency and proactive information dissemination by Federal Government institutions is duly noted, and steps will be taken to ensure that Nigerians are adequately informed about matters of public interest.
“The Federal Government is committed to fostering an environment where the media thrives while also remaining accountable to the ethical standards of the profession. We call on all media organisations to continue to uphold these standards and work collaboratively in the dissemination of accurate information, which is essential for a well-informed and active citizenry.
“Let this ruling by the National Media Complaints Commission against Daily Trust serve as a benchmark for journalistic excellence, and also strengthen the bonds between the media, the government, and the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Chaired by former Managing Director of Guardian Newspapers Limited, Mr. Emeka Izeze; other members of NMCC included a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud; Deputy Vice Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna; Editor-in-Chief of Diamond Publication, Mr Lanre Idowu; and the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda, Mr Edetaen Ojo.
Other are a journalist, lawyer and arbitrator, Mrs. Dupe Ajayi-Gbadebo; broadcaster, author, columnist and former Executive Director of Programmes at the Nigerian Television Authority, Mrs. Eugenia Abu; and Country Director of Care International (Nigeria), Dr. Hussain Abdu.
In its verdict, the NMCC ruled that Daily Trust failed to meet journalistic standards as stipulated in the 2022 Revised Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists, stressing that the newspaper’s report complained about, which was published on July 4, 2024, was found to be inaccurate, particularly in suggesting that the Samoa Agreement contained provisions relating to the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) rights.
The government’s original complaint, submitted by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Dr. Ngozi Onwudiwe, alleged that the Daily Trust report posed a threat to national security.
In its ruling, the Ombudsman found that the article complained about was inaccurate, and that it violated Article 2.1 of the Revised Code of Journalism Ethics, 2022.
The Ombudsman commended the complainant (the Federal Government) and the respondent (Daily Trust) “for submitting themselves to the co-regulatory mechanism offered by the National Media Complaints Commission”.
It also said that: “Whilst the Daily Trust may be commended for its healthy interest in a story of national and global importance as provided for in Articles 2.5 and 2.7 of the Code of Ethics, the same cannot be said for its performance with respect to the other provisions of the relevant portions of the Code, namely Articles 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.8″.
The Ombudsman said its investigation revealed that the Samoa Agreement did not, in fact, contain any clauses relating to LGBTQ issues.
The commission cited a briefing document from the European Parliamentary Research Service, noting that while earlier drafts of the agreement referenced contentious issues such as sexual orientation and gender identity, the final signed version excluded such provisions.
“The NMCC finds that the 403-page Samoa Agreement does not in fact contain any clause that compels underdeveloped and developing nations to support the agitations by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community for recognition as a condition for getting financial and other supports from advanced nations. Indeed, there is no reference whatsoever in the agreement to the issue of LGBTQ”, the report stated.
