POLITICS
2023: Journalists task Political Aspirants to shun Jeopardizing Peace, Unity in Ebonyi
Godwin Okeh, Abakaliki
The Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State Chapter, has tasked political gladiators to shun the act of mobilizing thugs to cause violence, killings and other actions capable of jeopardizing peace and order in the state.
The Union said that Ebonyi is adjudged to be one of most peaceful state in south east, cannot be plugged into crisis and urged political actors and their supporters to play by the rules.
Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Samson Nwafor stated this in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital while briefing journalists on Chapel’s Press Week with the theme “Time to Deepen Media Involvement in Nigeria’s Democracy”.
He called on the people of the state to participate in the 2023 general elections to enable them elect their leaders.“2023 General Election gather momentum, we call on the political actors in Ebonyi State to play by the rules, and shun actions that are capable of jeopardizing the relative peace existing in the state. We also call on the youth to shun thuggery and violence, as doing so, constitute grave consequences to the future of Nigeria.
“We further call on Ebonyians to ensure they participate fully in choosing their leaders, in the upcoming general elections, by making sure they register and obtain their voters card now that the registration is ongoing, across the State.
“As the theme of this year’s press week aptly captures, the time has come to deepen Media involvement in Nigeria’s Democracy, if we desire to make a meaningful progress, as a nation”, Nwafor said.
He described Press week as annual ritual in journalism profession and a period to take stock of operations as Journalists to know how the media practitioners have faired within the period.
“It is on the strength of these, that the Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ, Ebonyi State, a body of Journalists of both Print and Electronic Media, whose head offices are outside Ebonyi State, religiously observes this important event annually.
The theme of this year’s press week is “Time To Deepen Media Involvement In Nigeria’s Democracy.”
‘The Chapel Leadership after a critical review of the performances of members, applauded them for being good ambassadors and called on them to continue to adhere strictly to the ethics of Journalism profession in the discharge of their lawful duties, especially as the 2023 general election is around the corner.
Correspondents should shun fake news and ensure they crosscheck facts always, bearing in mind the critical role we play in the society.
“The Chapel also seizes this opportunity to call on the law enforcement agents in the State to always see journalists as friends, and desist from harassing and/or assaulting them while discharging their lawful duties. Security agents should know that Journalists like other citizens of Nigeria deserve protection not molestation from them.
We urge that internal mechanism for discipling in NUJ be explored whenever any journalist is found wanting.“We wish to specifically acknowledge the robust cordial relationship that has been existing between Journalists and the Ebonyi State government led by Governor David Umahi, and therefore commend very highly, the Governor for creating the enabling environment for us to discharge our duties in the State. I want to assure the government and the good people of Ebonyi State, that Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ, Ebonyi State, under my leadership would continue to be partners in the growth and development of Ebonyi State, through objective reportage” he stated.
The Abia Chapter of the INEC Staff Welfare Association (ISWA) has warned its members to uphold the integrity of the commission and guard against the culture of manipulating election results.
The Abia Chairman of the association, Mr Collins Eze, gave the advice at the group’s general meeting and end-of-year party in Umuahia.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the ceremony, Eze said that the staff members were adequately aware of their enormous responsibility and should ensure free, fair and credible elections.
He said: “We have also told our colleagues that anywhere they find themselves they should make sure that they do the needful by ensuring transparency in the conduct of elections.
“We have always told them not to allow anybody to induce them with money to manipulate election results.
“I’m happy that they have been building the capacity of our colleagues on election processes.
“So, in the coming years, we won’t have any problem in ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections.”
He said that the end-of-year party was special as it afforded them the opportunity “to wine and dine together as well as thank God for sustaining them in 2024”.
Eze said that his leadership had introduced various means of assisting members in dire financial needs by providing platforms to solicit suppory for them.
He expressed gratitude to members for their support and cooperation, describing them as the “secret behind the success of this administration”.
He said that 34 of at least 350 staff members of the commission in the state retired from service in 2024.
According to him, the development has placed a huge financial burden on the association, in terms of their welfare and entitlement as members.
Report says that each member received a carton of tomato paste as Christmas gift from the association. (NAN)
A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be thankful to God that its 16-year administration was not probed by the successive APC-led governments.Okechukwu stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, while reacting to a statement by PDP congratulating Ghanaians for the conduct of free, fair and transparent general elections.
Report says that PDP had, in a statement, said that the verdict of the people of Ghana in the presidential election was a signal to the APC that its days were numbered. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, had said in the statement that the power of the people in Nigeria, just like in Ghana, would ‘surely prevail and end the APC’s oppressive rule’.This, he said, would “return Nigeria to the path of good governance, security, political stability and economic prosperity on the platform of the PDP in 2027.”However, in his reactions to Ologunagba’s statement, Okechukwu said that the PDP clan should thank God that former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu, out of sheer statesmanship, had refused to probe ‘the 16 locus years of PDP administrations’.Okechukwu, a former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), described the 16 years of PDP administrations as ones full of squandering and lack of plan.He said that Nigeria had yet to recover from the humongous culture of impunity and trust deficit planted by PDP on the Nigerian soil.Okechukwu said corruption was among the culture of impunity, saying it governed the privatisation of Nigeria’s electricity value chain, a key element in the country’s industrialisation drive.“Another is the blatant rigging of the 2007 general elections which the foremost beneficiary, President Umaru Yar’Adua, out of good conscience and noble magnanimity, publicly acknowledged the malfeasance which characterised his victory,” he said.Okechukwu also mentioned what he called conscienceless sale of the legislative and ministerial quarters, the annual rentage of which, he said, was bleeding the country’s treasury.“Another one is the neglect of $23 billion Greenfield Refinery, which could have saved over $70 billion expended on importation of refined petroleum products and which simulated the economic hardship of today,” he said.On why, for nine years, the APC administration could not fix those challenges, he recalled the efforts made by the Buhari administration to reopen talks on the Greenfield Refinery which, according to him, the Chinese regrettably rebuffed.The former VON director-general said that Nigerians were not in a hurry to forget the deliberate breach of the rotational convention of president from the north to the south.He said that the country could not also forget the utter disregard for Section 7 of the PDP’s constitution which expressly mandated zoning.Okechukwu advised the PDP not to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians by assuming that citizens would easily forget how they were put in the harms way.He said that PDP should thank God that Buhari and Tinubu did not want to probe them, adding “that’s why Nigerians cannot decipher the difference between the two political parties.” (NAN)
Sen. Ned Nwoko (PDP-Delta) says that Local Government Administration is central to democracy in Nigeria as it ensures grassroots governance and service delivery at the local level.This is contained in a statement signed by Dr Michael Nwoko, the Chief of Staff to the lawmaker in Abuja on Monday.Nwoko said this on the occasion of the presentation of an award “Icon of Hope” to him by the Association of Local Government Vice Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGOVC).
He was represented by his Chief of Staff. He said that the importance of local government administration in the country could not be overemphasised, as it was the bedrock of democracy.According to him, local governments in Nigeria play key roles in the country’s democracy by promoting participatory democracy, providing services, and representing citizens.“Local Governments help determine local needs and how to meet them. They also act as a link between the centre, state, and local people.“They are created to decentralise power and bring the government closer to the people. They perform both mandatory and concurrent functions.“It is in view of this that I took it upon myself to enhance the viability of local governments through the Paris and London club loan refunds,”he said.Dr Folashade Olabanji-Oba, ALGOVC National Chairman, while presenting the award at its 7th Annual National Conference, said the award was in recognition of the lawmaker’s significant contributions to strengthening local government administration.She highlighted Nwoko’s critical role in ensuring the Paris and London Club loan refunds, a financial breakthrough she said enhanced the capacity of local governments nationwide.(NAN)
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