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Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu on Thursday charged Journalists in the country to strive to promote unity , peace and social cohesion.
He also voiced out to journalist to cooperate with security agents in their efforts to surmount security challenges facing the nation.
According to him, the preoccupation of the pen pushers should be sustainable existence of the nation as a single indivisible country .
Bagudu spoke in Birnin Kebbi shortly after the smooth conduct of the Congress of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ), which was conducted through consensus strategy and affirmation.
The Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum urged :” You should always report facts and steer clear of any destructive sensationalism
” Your mainstay should be objective and responsible journalism, and not journalism laced with selfish and parochial interests.
” These are the panaceas of an indivisible, cohesive and progressive society.”
Bagudu further admonished journalists not to create chaos ,fear and confusion in the minds of the citizens in their reportage.
He also urged them to strive to always portray Nigeria in good light , adding, ” Journalists have the duty to also be patriotic.
” You should portray Nigeria positively to the outside world and also beam the outside world to us.”
He assured journalist of his administration’s open door policy to access information they need ” You can interrogate the government, I will be available for NUJ to ask me anything about the Government ‘ he averred.
The APC Progressive Governor’s Forum Chairman described the NUJ as a body of intellectuals and professionals who have a vital role in the peace and unity of Nigeria, while urging all members to always strive to balance their stories with facts.
Bagudu acknowledged the smooth transition of the council, via the consensus strategy and congratulated the National Vice President North West, Alhaji Tukur Dutsinmari and the Zonal Secretary North West Zone A for emerging successfully from the National Congress which was recently conducted in Umuahia ,Abia State.
He noted that there were great lessons to learn from the exercise , even as he felicitated with the new executives.
Bagudu also commended the former executives for their invaluable contributions to the success of his administration.
The Kebbi governor also congratulated the new executives and prayed Allah to guide them , urging them to build upon what their predecessors did.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Barrister ,Rakiya Tanko Ayuba represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Garba Hamisu Zuru , reaffirmed the support of the Ministry to NUJ while thanking the governor for attending the NUJ Congress and appreciated his unrelenting support to the activities of NUJ in Kebbi State.
Tanko also expressed appreciation to the Personal Assistant to the Governor, Alhaji Faruk Musa Yaro ( Enabo) for his support towards the successful conduct of the Congress.
She thanked the outgoing executives under chairmanship of comrade Aliyu Jajirma for the effort they put in running the state council for six years while calling on the new executives under the Chairmanship of Hamza Galadima Zuru to work towards strengthening the entire members of NUJ..
The National Vice President of NUJ zone A , Alhaji Tukur Dutsinmari and the Zonal Secretary of NUJ, North West, AbdulRazak Bello Kaura , all expressed profound gratitude to the Governor for attending the NUJ Congress and valuable support of the governor to the state council of NUJ.
The Zonal Secretary of NUJ, Zone A, AbdulRazak Bello Kaura solicited for more support from the governor for journalist to discharge their duties deligently.
” On behalf of the Kebbi State Council , sir we are requesting for a bus and the Zonal Office too that have 7 states under its fold will be happy if his Excellency can provide a vehicle for easy transportation of officials ‘ he requested.
On his part, the new Chairman of the Kebbi State NUJ, Hamza Galadima Zuru thanked governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for his presence at their inauguration while promising the entire members of NUJ of his resolve to actualise his campaign promises.
Galadima opined that he will reposition the Kebbi State NUJ based on the ideals of NUJ constitution which is hinged on ensuring authentic and balanced reporting to promoting peace and unity in the society.
He also pledged to work with his lieutenants to work out a strategy that will bolster the revenue of the council for the betterment and welfare of all members.
He also pledged to collaborate with local and national organizations to build the capacity and professionalism of journalist in the state while assuring to the governor of being partners in progress.
Earlier, former Kebbi State NUJ , comrade Aliyu Jajirma commended the governor for being the first incumbent governor of the state to attend the NUJ Congress.
He particularly appreciated governor Bagudu for supporting the state council to attend the National Congress of the NUJ recently.
Jajirma charged the new NUJ executives to be tolerant and carry everybody along.
He announced that the former executives under his watch have embarked on construction of a new Secretariat which they named after the Governor as ‘Senator Atiku Bagudu Pen House’ .
Highlights of the inauguration ceremony were swearing – in of new executives and presentation of the certificates of return to the new NUJ executives by the State Chairman of NLC, comrade Umar Halidu Alhassan .
Signed,
YAHAYA SARKI,
Special Adviser (SA) Media to Kebbi State Governor
