Ndume cautions clerics, media against heating up the polity

A member of the Senate, Alhaji Ali Ndume, has cautioned the media and the religious against making comments and publishing reports capable of heating up the polity.

Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, gave the charge at a Forum in Abuja.

He said that some religious leaders, who ought to be promoters of peace of unity in the country, made inflammatory statements, and described it as disheartening.

“It is of concern that people open their mouths and talk anyhow.

“In Nigeria, people just talk to heat up the polity and they get away with it,” he said.

The lawmaker accused the media of publishing reports that were capable of causing crisis.

He blamed the development on influx of non-professionals into the industry.

“The media contribute to the problems faced by the country.

“Journalism has been bastardised because the profession has been infiltrated by charlatans who are more interested in heating up the polity.

“Just recently, a reporter put out a report, which he purportedly got from another reporter and the report was capable of causing mayhem.

“Some go as far as circulating disturbing video of things that happened in other climes, claiming they happened in Nigeria,” he said.

Ndume, however, said that all “hands must be on deck’’ to promote peace and unity in the country.