Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Saturday congratulated the state council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) on its successful and peaceful election/transition, describing the outcome “as a victory for every member of the pen profession who should now come together, as before, to join the government to set agenda for improved socioeconomic development of the state.”
“The government congratulates the new chairman Mr. Ahmed Abdullateef of the Herald newspapers on his victory. We also congratulate other members of the newly elected council. The electrifying issues-based campaign recently seen shows that our country is truly evolving. It is now incumbent on everyone, especially all the contestants, to leave the usual pre-election misgivings behind and work together as equal stakeholders in the business of evolving a stronger and more united council in the state,” the Governor said in a statement by Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye.
“The government reassures the new council of its full support as the fourth estate of the realm. The administration also thanks the outgone council for its support and understanding. The new council has a mandate, as always, to strengthen media professionalism, discourage sensationalism and war journalism, and embrace development or solution-driven journalism. While the administration commends the NUJ in the state for its principled association with the government in its developmental drive, we appeal for joint efforts with relevant state agencies to fight fake news, ethnic profiling, misinformation, and a growing culture of alternative facts which now threaten our world.
“The administration wishes the newly elected leadership of the Kwara State NUJ Council a successful tenure, and once again congratulates the entire council for what was clearly a peaceful and orderly election and transition which affirm Kwara as the state of harmony.”
In his own congratulatory message, the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Engr Yakubu Danaladi-Salihu said “I wish to congratulate the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ and the newly elected Council Chairman, Mr Ahmed AbdulLateef Lanre as well other executives that emerged in the just concluded election of the Union. I urge the new leadership of the NUJ to sustain the professionalism the union is known for while performing its functions as the fourth estate of realm”.
“On behalf of the Ninth Assembly, I wish to assure the new leadership of the NUJ of the support of the legislature and urge them to purge the union of purveyors of fake news who are hiding under the pen profession”.
