The Senate President, David Mark has denied knowledge of the proposed introduction of N5000 notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), noting that this is basically why he has not taken any position on the issue.

Mark, who made the assertion while declaring open the 8th All Nigeria Editors Conference organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State yesterday, said that if as Senate president, he was yet to be furnished with information on the proposed restructuring of the nation’s currency, then something must be wrong somewhere.

The Senate president stated that the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) had provided enough room for editors to decipher what constitutes national security.

Describing the theme of the conference, “The Nigerian Editor and National Security’’ as apt, he advised the editors not to allow “breaking news to break up the country’’.

“The problem we have is the balance between what will make you remain in business and what constitutes national security issue.

“I believe that journalists are very patriotic people because they are the first victims of any major crisis.”

The Senate president described media as an important tool in the business of statecraft, national survival and preservation, and advised editors to be extra careful, fair and conscious of national unity, because security issues covered infrastructure, health, welfare and energy, among others.

Earlier in a goodwill message, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep Emeka Ihedioha, noted that editors’ challenge had always been that of balancing constitutional duty and national security.

Ihedioha said the National Assembly recently passed the ‘Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011’  to assist in the fight against terrorism, and said that the legislature would welcome recommendations that would further improve national security legislation.

He assured editors that the house would stand firm with the media until terrorism was defeated, adding that the National Assembly would not impose any decision on the people in the ongoing constitutional reforms.

“We will pander to the well articulated interests of the people as far as the constitution amendment process is concerned.

“We shall soon embark on intense consultations with the people at the grassroots. The media has a crucial role to “play in this consultative process,” Ihedioha said.

In another goodwill message, the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) pledged to support the guild in all its activities.

Delivering the association’s message, Mrs Comfort Obi, the publisher of ‘The Source Magazine’, lauded the guild for the theme of the conference.

She advised them to see reportage as a sacred duty and to do so with all sense of responsibility.

Similarly, the NUJ President, Mr Mohammed Garba, noted that the media had a crucial role to play in the knotty issue of national security and conflict management.

Garba expressed the hope that the conference would make recommendations that would  assist in nation building.

Also speaking, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom advised Nigerian journalists to be more patriotic in the course of their duties.

According to the governor, “we should clothe this country in beautiful garments as editors so that it will be a better place for us to live in’’.

He said the security challenges in parts of the country had hindered socio-economic growth and advised journalists to imbibe the virtue of patriotism.

“You should be able to transmit information as journalists with respect to national security at heart.

“We are at a critical time of our nation’s development agenda; it will, therefore, be necessary for you to edit and publish stories that will help in driving national development,” Akpabio said.

He said past leadership had made efforts aimed at achieving meaningful development, but hindered by ethnic bias and violent practices.

The governor said efforts should be made to address the problem of national security to sustain the economic growth.

He said that Muslim leaders in the state would meet on Sept. 23, to address issues bordering on security.

In his goodwill message, Mr Bayo Atoyebi, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Press Council, urged journalists to collaborate with security agencies to tackle insecurity.

“As gatekeepers, we must work closely with each other so as to proffer solutions to the issue of security,” he said.