Minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris has expressed wonder why Nigerians would put up the leadership structure they still don’t trust.

He said that when he assumed office, the first thing he assured Nigerians was that he would tell them the truth about the activities of the government of Bola Tinubu.
The minister, who addressed members of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers GOCOP today, October 5, at its 7th Annual Conference which ended in Abuja today, said that the first reaction he got was for some social media to say that it was the beginning of lies.

“You have to trust the person you have elected, and that’s the only way you can hold him accountable when he goes overboard.”
He called on members of GOCOP to be the vanguards of promoting positive reports on Nigeria on social media, saying that it is crucial to the Socio-Economic growth and development of the country.
The minister said that one strategic component of the roadmap for socio-economic recovery and sustainability should be the projection of the country in a good light.
He said that by so doing, foreign direct investment and other developmental plans of the country would be achieved.
“If you say you want foreign direct investment, you want Nigeria to grow, and you want every good thing that happens to all great countries in the world to happen in this country, you must be prepared to project your own country; nobody else will do it for us.”

The Minister asked GOCOP members to carry out their responsibility with patriotism and professionalism.
He said that the good things happening in the country far outweigh the bad things, and that they should be projected.

“As Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, you have this great responsibility to ensure that you report only the truth and to help government officials to also tell the truth; it is your responsibility and you have to uphold it.”
The minister urged the Guild not to relent in its quest to sanitize and get rid of fake news carried by online media but to continue to sustain its peer review system and disciplinary measures against erring members.
Mohammed Idris reiterated the government’s commitment to return credibility to the business of government in the country while urging Nigerians to be optimistic with the present administration of President Tinubu.
The president of the Guild, Maureen Chigbo said that the Guild will continue to ensure that it upholds professionalism which its members are known for.

She said that not all online publishers are members of the Guild due to its insistence on a strict mechanism to check and sanction erring members who do not play by the rules.
“We will continue to work towards making sure that our members are professionals because professionalism is our watchword.”

The event had in attendance Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman; Registrar JAMB, and many others.