Taraba correspondents’ chapel passes vote of no confidence in Information Commissioner

The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Taraba state chapter, on Tuesday, passed a vote of no confidence in the state Commissioner for Information and re-orientation, Barr. Zainabe Usman Jalingo.

In an emergency Congress meeting held at the chapel Secretariat in Jalingo, the union also resolved to boycott all Taraba state government activities henceforth.

In the Congress resolution signed by the Resolution Drafting Committee chairman, Mr Charles Akpeji, the union decried what they described as a neglect of journalists and the profession, citing the commissioner’s deliberate and continued sidelining of the press during major state functions.

The Chapel also expressed outrage over the government’s failure to accredit its members for coverage of the high-profile upcoming Taraba State International Investment Summit (TARAVEST) and the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the state.

“Following the high level of incompetence displayed by the Taraba state Commissioner for Information, Barr. Zainabe Usman Jalingo, we, the correspondent’ chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), have unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in her, and ask Governor Agbu Kefas to remove her for the interest of good governance.

“Barr. Usman Jalingo has continuously failed in discharging her duty as Commissioner for Information, making the government of Governor Agbu Kefas unproductive.

“Her deliberate and continued sidelining of the press during major state functions, and the government’s failure to accredit correspondent members for coverage of the high-profile upcoming Taraba State International Investment Summit (TARAVEST) and the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the state on Wednesday calls for a stick action.

“We have seen this action as a calculated attempt to gag the press, and we unequivocally condemn the blatant disregard for press freedom and transparency. We hereby announce an immediate and indefinite boycott of all Taraba State Government activities.

“Followed a statement credited to Commissioner regarding the invitation of accredited journalists for a road walk—an event from which members of the Correspondents’ Chapel were excluded, we wish to inform the general public that henceforth, the Correspondents’ Chapel will no longer report any government activities.

“However, we wish to reassure residents of Taraba State of our unwavering commitment to our watchdog role. We will continue to report on issues affecting citizens and will hold the government accountable —regardless of intimidation or exclusion,” the chapel resolved.