Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Monday said that the media had a crucial role to play in nation building through accurate, objective and timely news reportage.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, Abubakar urged the media to speak out anytime things were done with impunity.
Abubakar, who is seeking the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC)to run in the 2015 presidential election, said that many things needed to be fixed in the country.
He said that his motivation was that Nigeria had given so much to him and that he would need to give back to the country.
“I am what I am today because the country gave me free and qualitative education,” he said.
Abubakar, who is expected to formally declare his intention on Wednesday, said that more devolution of powers would make Nigeria better.
He also called for better funding of education.
Abubakar said that the APC had created a good opposition to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
According to him, the APC has provided Nigerians with an alternative.
The former vice president said that it was healthy for democracy that there were others aspiring to fly APC’s flag in the 2015 presidential election.
He said that the party had chances of winning the October 11 governorship by-election in Adamawa State, being controlled by the PDP.
Abubakar said that the party had the capacity to “turn the table” in the state, adding that governors on APC ticket had recorded outstanding performances.
He said that security challenge increased in only two of the 21 local government areas of Adamawa, adding that it was not enough to prevent elections in the state.