Rasheedat Adu, LCDA Chairperson, allegedly offered N50,000 bribes to journalists at the #EndBadGovernance protests in Lagos. Only two journalists refused the offer, sparking a debate on media integrity. Adu's attempt aimed to influence coverage favorably towards the government's policies.
Rasheedat Abiodun Adu, the Chairperson of Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA), allegedly offered a bribe of N50,000 each to journalists covering the #EndBadGovernance protests at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos.
The monetary offer was reportedly made through one of her aides present at the protest site.
According to reports, the aide distributed the money to the journalists after Adu addressed the press, urging protesters to give President Bola Tinubu time to implement his policies. Adu highlighted the achievement of local government autonomy as a significant policy under Tinubu's administration.
However, not all journalists accepted the bribe. Emmanuel Uti, a reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), and Mayowa Durosinmi from West Africa Weekly refused the money and asked for their organizations to be removed from the list of recipients.
The list included journalists from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Lagos Television, News Central, and several other media outlets.
During her address, Adu emphasized the need for patience with the current administration's policies, particularly the local government autonomy, which had been a long-standing demand.
She conveyed that the bribe was intended to gain favorable coverage of the protests and the administration's efforts.
This incident has sparked significant controversy and raised questions about media ethics and the integrity of journalists covering critical events.
The #EndBadGovernance protests, which started on August 1 and are set to continue until August 10, focus on addressing various grievances, including economic hardship and governance issues.
Source: FIJ
