Former Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku has said those who speak for the government or serve as minister of information don’t have to lie to get public trust.
He made this known on Tuesday, March 28 in an interview on Channels Television monitored by Church Times
Maku who is currently a leader of the People’s Democratic Party in Nasarawa State said during his tenure as minister of information, he made truth his watchword.
He said, “I tried to speak the truth to people and show facts about what we do. We relate with people if we think they don’t understand. We also had cause to go on a nationwide tour to show people things and answer questions.”
Read also: I have never lied to anybody and to Nigerians-Femi Adesina:https://churchtimesnigeria.net/i-have-never-lied-to-anybody-and-to-nigerians-adesina/
The former minister stressed that truth is central to the ministry of information. “We can do a lot of things by speaking truthfully. What I did during my tenure was to represent my boss very well. I speak to the unity and progress of Nigeria. Wherever I found myself, I knew I had a duty to convey to the people the activities of government.” he said.
Maku said when he was minister of information the Jonathan government which he served hardly had issues with the media.” I tried to carry the press along. As minister of information, I persuaded the government to sign the Freedom of Information Bill.”
He however noted that people are not taking advantage of the FOI bill adding that what is presently going on in Nigeria is open self-censorship.
Maku said those in government should be truthful to God, to the people, and to the country adding that government is a public trust.
On the governorship election in Nasarawa, he said, “What is happening in Nasarawa is a rape of democracy.”
According to him, there is clear evidence that the governorship election was rigged for the All Progressive Party. “That is why people are protesting in the state. We are not the ones protesting. It is the people who felt robbed that are protesting.”
He said the police has no right to ban public protest noting that it is the constitutional right of the people to protest. “The role of the security is to provide security to curtail it from going bad,” he said
Maku who once contested the governorship race in Nasarawa Stae said the PDP and APC lost the state during the presidential election because they took the Labour Party for granted.
