News Investigators/ The National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), also known as the Ombudsman, on Monday ordered the Daily Trust Newspaper to tender a public apology over what it found to be “inaccurate and wrong reportage of the content of the Samoa Agreement.
The Daily Trust had reported that the Agreement signed by the federal government and the European Union (EU), June 2024, contained clauses that compelled underdeveloped and developing nations to support the agitations by LGBTQ community.
The report generated heated public outcry against the Bola Tinubu-led government despite official denial that no such clauses on LGBTO or same sex marriage was stated as a precondition.
Following official complaint by the government, NMCC, after thorough investigation found the Abuja-based newspaper culpable of professional misconduct.
The commission, in its 19-page report, said after scrutinising the complaint of the government, as well as the response of the newspaper, which it had sought and obtained, found the Daily Trust story complained about as “inaccurate”.
While affirming its commitment to providing the public with an independent forum for resolving complaints about the media, it reiterated its resolve to address all complaints speedily and fairly, with a view to maintaining high standards of journalism practice and journalistic ethics, and defending the freedom of the press and the rights of the people to know.
MEDIA OMBUDSMAN RULES AGAINST DAILY TRUST FOR FALSE REPORTAGE OF SAMOA AGREEMENT
According to the report, it was, therefore, inaccurate and wrong for the Daily Trust to state in its reporting that the agreement contained clauses compelling underdeveloped and developing nations to support the agitations by LGBTQ community, especially also in the light of the fact that it noted in the same news report of July 4, 2024 that when the newspaper contacted Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, media assistant to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, it was clearly told that “nowhere in the documents (Agreement) were LGBTQ or same sex marriage mentioned even remotely”. Given this rebuttal of the thrust of the news story, since the Daily Trust had apparently decided to go ahead with its reporting as borne out by its publication, and had evidence to the contrary, the newspaper should have said so in its report and cited the relevant portion or portions of the Samoa Agreement to back up this assertion.
Whilst the Daily Trust may be commended for its healthy interest in a story of national and global importance as provided for in Article 2.5 and 2.7 of the Code of Ethics, the same cannot be said for its performance with respect to the other provisions of the relevant portions of the Code, namely Article: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.8.
Accordingly, we find that the article complained about was not factual, accurate, balanced, and fair, and therefore, violated Article 2.1 of the Revised Code of Ethics, 2022.
The Daily Trust report of July 4, 2024, also flouted Article 2.2. The plea that it was unsure of the version of the Samoa Agreement signed by the federal government cannot avail it, as the Daily Trust did not advance any argument that it sought for a copy of the signed Samoa Agreement from the Complainant, and it was denied, nor did its reporting indicate that it independently sourced it before its publication of July 4, 2024. The Daily Trust also did not present to the NMCC any version of the Samoa Agreement that supported the assertions contained in its July 4, 2024 story on the issue. On the contrary, the copy of the Samoa Agreement submitted to the NMCC by the Daily Trust is the same version of the Agreement submitted by the Federal Government, which contained no reference whatsoever to the issue of LGBTQ. In this regard, the article was hasty, inaccurate, and misleading, contrary to the due diligence that Article 2.2 prescribes. Even after being informed of the inaccuracy and misleading nature of the report, the Daily Trust failed to promptly publish a correction.
We find that the Daily Trust violated Article 2.3 of the Revised Code of Ethics, 2022 as it did not discharge its duty to report as accurately as possible.
To the extent that the Daily Trust did not make any appreciable effort to establish the relevant facts in its reporting and seemed to substitute the opinions of its sources for the facts, we find that it breached Article 2.8 of the Revised Code of Ethics, 2022.
Overall, the reporting offered by the Daily Trust fell short of the standards expected in the journalism profession as contained in the 2022 Revised Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists. We also find that its reporting on such a subject with significant sensitivity in Nigeria was below its acclaimed professional standard. It should not have taken more than two months for the Daily Trust to determine that its action was blameworthy and take remedial steps in accordance with the requirements of the 2022 Revised Code of Conduct for Nigerian Journalists.
The NMCC also advised the government that Transparency and accountability are crucial aspects of the democratic process, including for the purpose of earning and enjoying public trust. The commission said that it would certainly have helped to inform the public about the Agreement much earlier with copies of it made publicly available for those who are interested in more details to access and read. Such an approach would have helped in avoiding the attendant conjectures and speculations, which become inevitable when the people feel that they have been denied the right to know.
In this digital age, the lesson here should be that proactivity in information dissemination across all offices of the government and all tiers of government on matters of public interest is a non-negotiable element of democratic governance. The government and all its institutions have an obligation to abolish the prevailing culture of secrecy in governance, as it gives the impression that government holds its citizens in contempt. Instead, the government should take deliberate steps to create a knowledge society and bring about the emergence of an informed and active citizenry.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION
In the light of the above, the NMCC directs that the Daily Trust newspaper takes appropriate remedial action and, in particular, do the following:
- Accept without equivocation that its reporting on the issue in question was inaccurate and misleading as its treatment of the report showed a lapse in news judgement and fell short of the expected standards of the 2022 Revised Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists.
- Publish an apology prominently in both the print and online editions of the Daily Trust.
- Take the necessary internal editorial measures to prevent a future occurrence.
- Publish the report of the NMCC in this matter within seven days of receiving it.
The NMCC also commended the Complainant and the Respondent for submitting themselves to the co-regulatory mechanism offered by the National Media Complaints Commission.