Obidigbo , An Industrialist Counsels Journalists On Sensationalism Over Jonathan’s Ranking As 6Th Richest President

  
An Awka based industrialist and politician, Chike Obidigbo, has enjoined journalists to eschew sensationalism and avoid reports that undermine the nation’s image and interests.

He made the appeal against the background of withdrawal of a recent publication by an online medium that named President Goodluck Jonathan as being the sixth richest African President.
Speaking to newsmen in Awka, Obidigbo noted with dismay that foreign media and some members of the international community are feasting on Nigeria’s destructive opposition politics to smear the nation’s image.
He stated that by deleting the falsehood from its website, “RichestLifestyle.com has confirmed the worst fears of many patriotic Nigerians that the curious kind of opposition politics being practiced by a certain group of politicians was serving the purpose of enemies of the country”.
Obidigbo who was an aspirant for Anambra governorship on the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) platform, said the action of the online medium in deleting the publication must have followed the denunciation by the Presidency which threatened to sue the medium.
He noted that by this action, “the online medium, which has scant regard for ethics of journalism, has offered great insight to the readiness of foreigners to partner with desperate opposition politicians in ridiculing our country”.
He said those who are in a hurry to paint the President in bad light “do not remember that whatever evil arrow they shot at the President hits hard also on our nation’s image”, adding that the publication was in bad taste and the publishers showed that they depended on information gathered from partisan players to ridicule Nigeria’s leader.
Obidigbo said despite the limiting influence of cost, journalists should
go the extra mile to give a balanced report by reaching out to all the sides and involving stories.
“I wish to also enjoin you that are practicing journalism in Nigeria to be wary of the impact of sensationalism and eschew all forms of reportage that undermine the nation’s image and interests.
“It is evident that our country is at
crossroads and this calls for responsible media practice,”
he said.