The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe has said that President Goodluck Jonathan was not involved in any move by the armed forces to seize newspapers.
Speaking to members of the Press in Abuja on Saturday, Okupe said there was no way the President who is a strong believer in the rule of law and unrelenting upholder of democratic tenets would allow media suppression in the country.
He said, “The news publications suggested that President Goodluck Jonathan might have ordered that the media be suppressed and prevented from carrying out their constitutionally guaranteed responsibilities of holding government accountable to the people.
“The military has explained that the checks followed intelligence reports on the possibility of some elements within the society using such vehicles to convey materials with grave security implications across the country.
“You cannot neglect security threats because we are living in trying times,” he added, but said the clampdown would be a temporary measure and appealed to the media houses and affected stakeholders to view the action in the light of the security challenges confronting the nation.”
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