By Terfa Naswem
Sahara Reporters was established by Omoyele Sowore in 2006 with the objective of promoting citizen journalism by motivating citizens to report stories about corruption, human rights abuses and political misconduct in Nigeria. But it seems to have deviated from journalism ethics and standards which are accuracy and standards for factual reporting; fairness and impartiality, accountability among others. The International Federation of Journalists states that the first duty of a journalist is to have “respect for truth and for the right of the public to truth” which Sahara Reporters has failed to do in recent times as a result of propaganda reportage.
Shortly after Sahara Reporters was established in 2006 during the tail end of President Olusegun Obasanjo second term administration, it encouraged Obasanjo to be committed to transparency, provide effective government structures and oversight, ensure that anti-corruption laws were made and enforced; ensure whistleblower protections and guarantee freedom of the press.
Sahara Reporters contributed significantly to the fight against corruption in the administrations of Obasanjo, Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
In the present Buhari administration, Sahara Reporters has been seriously politicized in most of its political reportage as most of its reports against the Senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye are based on political sentiments fuelled by some group of political elites behind the mask both with APC and beyond.
The most recent reports from Sahara Reporters which have made it irrefutable that it has been seriously politicized were its false reports against Senator Dino Melaye that he did not graduate from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and the other report about the recall of Saraki which has been proven to be false. Phone interview with some residents of Kwara Central District confirm that nothing of such is to take place and that those calling for the recall of Saraki are not even indigenes of Kwara or residents of Kwara Central District.
They also said that they believe that such stories published about the people of Kwara Central District calling for Saraki recall is a wrong and miscalculated move by some political forces working behind the scene to bring Saraki down which they will not succeed.
Terfa Naswem is a Journalist and Political Analyst, wrote from Benue State
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