President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated co-founder and publisher of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, on his being named one of the four awardees for year 2020 International Press Freedom Award, by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
President Buhari, in a statement issued on Saturday by his media aide, Femi Adesina, said the honour attested to Olorunyomi’s many decades of commitment to the ideals of journalism and freedom of the Press.
“Democracy and a free press are kindred spirits, and that is what we have committed to as a government. It is, therefore, gratifying to hear of this award to one of our own,” the President also said.
Buhari, who urged Olorunyomi to use the occasion of the award to recommit himself to all that is noble, fair and just in journalism, added that a responsible media is part of the building blocks of a country.
The President, who restated that a free and responsible press remains an abiding commitment of the Nigerian government, implored the media to adhere to the finest tenets of the noble profession at all times.
Olorunyomi wins the CPJ award along with three other journalists from Bangladesh, Iran and Russia.