Kebbi NUJ rejects journalists handpicked by gov to cover govt house

The Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kebbi State Council, has rejected the selection of three of its members designated to cover Governor Nasir Idris’ activities at Government House, Birnin Kebbi.

The rejection was a sequel to a meeting held in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday between Acting Permanent Secretary, Government House, Alhaji Ibrahim Saraki; Acting Permanent Secretary, Protocol, Alhaji Sagir Mahe, and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Malam Yahaya Sarki.

Others at the meeting were Aliyu Bandado, the Special Adviser to Gov. Idris on New Media and Master of Ceremony to the governor, Alhaji Faruk Bello-Birnin Kebbi.

During their meeting, the governor’s officials asserted that the governor had directed that only three members of the correspondents’ chapel should cover his activities.

In his reaction to the development, the Chairman of the chapel, Alhaji El-Yakubu Usman-Dabai, described the development as ‘counterproductive’ to the promotion of the Kebbi government’s activities, and the journalism profession.

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“A situation whereby we have over 18 members, with different in-house-media styles, representing different media outfits within and outside Nigeria, it is not proper and unethical to give opportunities to only three members.

“The government officials should not be unmindful of the fact that we have representatives of television, radio, newspapers and online media outlets whose in-house-style varies from one another.

“When you pick newspapers to cover your functions, you deny other journalists their constitutional rights to keep Kebbi people informed on the good works of the governor.

“We have people living in remotest areas that rely solely on radio and television to receive information about their government’s policies and programmes in the state,” he said.

Usman-Dabai urged the concerned officials to rescind their decision as journalists are partners in progress, saying that they should not undermine the constitutional provision that recognises journalists as the “Fourth Estate of the Realm.”

In his response, the chapels’ Secretary, Ibrahim Bello, enjoined the media aides to the governor to educate the concerned government officials on the modus operandi of practising Journalists for the development of the state.

“I am calling on our patriotic and hardworking members to be patient and calm as the leadership of the chapel is working hard to resolve the matters amicably,” he called.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE