FEC Deliberates On Daily Trust Samoa Report, Petitions Nigerian Press Council

The report authored by a national daily on the Samoa agreement was tabled for deliberations at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, where the cabinet members condemned it entirely.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who disclosed this to State House reporters, after the FEC, said a letter of complaint has already been forwarded to the media ombudsman, the Nigerian Press Council to compel the newspaper from circulating information that is wrong and misleading.

He said some Nigerians have come up with different insinuations which are totally incorrect.

Recall that in the report, the medium had claimed that the federal government signed an agreement with clauses requiring Nigeria to endorse the rights of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex, and LGBTQI+ people.

It also said that Nigeria would collect 150 billion dollars for endorsing the deal.

The agreement, generally referred to as the Samoa agreement, was signed on 28 June at the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States, OACPS, Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium.

Details of the agreement indicated that the partnership is between the European Union and its member states on one hand, and members of OACPCS on the other.

Negotiations on the agreement began in 2018, and it was signed on 15 November 2018 by all 27 EU member states and 47 of the 79 OACPS states.

The African Regional Protocol on the matter consists of two parts – a framework for cooperation and areas of cooperation that include inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and environmental and human rights protection, among others.

But reacting angrily to the development, Idris said, “FEC deliberated on the Daily Trust report on the Samoa agreement and concluded that it was meant to mislead the people against the government, we have written to Ombudsman to call the newspaper to order.

” We will wait for the ombudsman report but will also urge the press to report responsibly even as the Tinubu-led administration recommits to press freedom.

“Tinubu government has no intention to gag the press or act in any way seen to be inhibiting media workers’ rights, they are seen as strong pillars towards fostering democracy in the country.

They should ensure fake news has no footing in Nigeria. The report has damaged the psyche of some Nigerians”.