The Niger State Government has said that it is impossible for a government to succeed without the support of the media.
The Special Adviser to the government on media and strategy, Jonathan Vatsa, made the assertion when he paid a courtesy call on the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Minna.
He claimed that former president Olusegun Obasanjo might have succeeded in achieving a third term in power if not for the campaign by the Nigerian media.
Vatsa declared the Niger State Government readiness to work with the media for the effective reportage of the state’s activities
While further highlighting the role of the media in Nigeria, he pointed out that innovative leaders take the utmost advantage of the media to project their government and set a road map for their development.
“But for the vociferous campaign mounted by the Nigerian media, Obasanjo would have continued ruling the country beyond the eight-year period and the country would not have been enjoying the democracy it is enjoying today,” he said.
While admitting that there had been a wide gap between the government of Niger State and the media, especially the Correspondents Chapel who, he said, are major stakeholders, Vatsa said there was an urgent need to bridge that gap because “there is no government that can succeed without the media.”
The former Commissioner of Information Culture and Tourism further stressed the importance of the media to the success of any government or enterprise.
Vatsa advised, “The political elite and especially political office holders should have a good relationship with the media. There should be no gap between politicians and the media.
“I want us to build on the already established relationship and see how we can further bridge the gap for a better and improved partnership.”
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