President Bola Tinubu on Thursday challenged Nigerian journalists to embrace responsible journalism, urging the media to choose “substance over sensation” and “credibility over clickbait” as the country navigates a rapidly evolving digital information landscape.
Speaking at the maiden State House Media Dinner held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to press freedom but warned that journalists must exercise their constitutional rights with professionalism, accuracy and a strong sense of responsibility.
The President described himself as “an apostle of a free press,” recalling his decades-long support for media freedom and insisting that democracy cannot thrive without an independent press.
“I have defended and advocated for the rights of the media throughout my public life and will continue to do so,” Tinubu said.
“While press freedom and free speech remain the bedrock of an open and democratic society, journalists and citizens must also not forget the imperative of balancing rights with responsibility and the duty you hold to society to report and inform with care and accuracy to facts and in a manner that ensures the society is not set on fire.”
The President, however, expressed concern over the growing spread of misinformation, fake news, deepfakes, voice cloning and disinformation, warning media professionals against becoming channels for false or unverified information capable of undermining national security.
“The recurring incidents of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, voice and facial cloning and deep fakes are concerning. These are the drawbacks of the social media age. Media practitioners should not be willing couriers of falsehood or unverified information injurious to national security and the nation,” he said.
Tinubu noted that while the relationship between government and the media is naturally characterised by scrutiny and tension, both institutions ultimately share the common goal of strengthening democracy.
“Tonight, we are gathered in one room pretending to be friends when, in truth, we are often adversaries. Now, before tomorrow’s headlines announce that the President has declared war on the media, let me quickly clarify.
“We are adversaries only in the democratic sense, as the media constantly distrust those in power. In nation-building, we are partners.”
According to him, the media’s constitutional responsibility is to hold those in authority accountable, while government has the duty to govern and explain its actions to citizens.
“Government must act. The media must watch. Government must explain. The media must question. That arrangement guarantees a certain level of tension. It ensures that we are constantly at each other’s throats—not because we dislike one another, but because democracy demands it.”
Reflecting on his political journey, Tinubu said he had become one of Nigeria’s most scrutinised politicians over the past three decades, particularly during election campaigns when speculation often overshadowed facts.
“I have probably become one of the most analysed, scrutinised, investigated, predicted, and speculated-upon politicians in Nigeria’s democratic history,” he said.
He recalled how conflicting headlines often emerged within the same media environment, questioning whether sufficient context and analysis were always provided to the public.
“One day, I read a headline that said: ‘Tinubu Scores Big As Nigeria’s Economy Expands.’ The very next day, I encountered another headline: ‘Nigeria’s Economy Falters As Tinubu Loses Grip.’
“Did the media do its homework? Did it provide citizens with the context, analysis, and insight required to understand what changed? Or are we increasingly drifting towards the old newsroom creed: ‘If it bleeds, it leads’?”
Tinubu stressed that the digital age has made professional journalism more important than ever, urging media organisations to distinguish verified facts from rumours and speculation.
“We live in an era where misinformation and disinformation travel faster than facts. The media must choose fact over falsehood. The media must choose substance over sensation. The media must choose credibility over clickbait and the endless race for followers, likes, and viral outrage.
“The public depends on journalists not merely to report events but to separate fact from fiction, truth from speculation, and evidence from opinion.”
The President also reminded journalists that constitutional guarantees of free expression do not provide immunity for defamation or deliberate misinformation.
“Professional journalism must remain the standard by which truth is distinguished from rumour and facts from fiction.
“Let me also make it clear that freedom of expression is not freedom to defame. Freedom of the press is not freedom to deliberately mislead.
“Rights come with responsibilities. Public trust is earned through fairness, professionalism, accuracy, and integrity.”
Tinubu said laws such as the Cybercrimes Act were designed to protect citizens against malicious falsehoods, identity theft and cyberstalking rather than suppress press freedom.
“Our commitment to the constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and press freedom remains unwavering,” he stated.
Turning to governance, the President said his administration’s economic reforms were beginning to yield positive results, citing improved public revenues, stronger foreign reserves, increased investor confidence, renewed investments in the oil and gas sector and growth in the capital market.
“Nigeria today is undergoing one of the most ambitious periods of reform in its history. The difficult but necessary reforms undertaken by this administration are yielding results.
“The journey is not yet complete. Challenges remain. But the direction is clear, and the foundations for long-term growth are being firmly established.”
On security, Tinubu said intensified military operations, stronger intelligence gathering and enhanced inter-agency collaboration had led to the neutralisation of thousands of terrorists and criminal elements, the rescue of numerous hostages and the recovery of previously threatened communities.
“While Nigeria continues to face security challenges, we have moved steadily from reacting to threats toward systematically degrading them. We remain resolute in our commitment to securing every part of our country and ensuring that every Nigerian can live, work, and prosper in peace.”
The President concluded by urging the media and government to strengthen their partnership through professionalism, mutual respect and a shared commitment to national development.
“Let us replace needless hostility with constructive engagement. Let us replace sensationalism with professionalism. Let us replace the pursuit of outrage with the pursuit of truth.
“Together, let us continue building a nation where truth matters, accountability thrives, democracy flourishes, and every Nigerian has reason to believe in the promise of our country.”
