By Fadhlillah Abdallah
The Sokoto State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Saturday, called on its members to abound being used by politicians as tools for blackmail and character assassination as the 2023 general elections approaches.
The call is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Union’s congress meeting held on Saturday.
According to congress, “members should remain apolitical, avoid the temptation of being used for blackmail and character assassination for undue favour from politicians as the 2023 general elections draws closer.”
The communiqué also appealed to members to continue to “uphold the confidence of the people by maintaining objectivity, embrace all political actors and be fully professional in the conduct of their duties.
The union warned that it would not shield any member found intentionally helping his personal aggrandizement.
The NUJ further called on the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to hasten negotiation on the beleaguered strike action to allow Nigerian students return to their classrooms.
The union argued that the students’ continued stay at home could increase the rate of insecurity across the country.
Read the full communiqué below:
- Members who are yet to revalidate their membership by being up to date in both dues and Identity Cards should do so with immediate effect in order to avoid embarrassment.
- Members should remain apolitical, avoid the temptation of being used for mud sliding, blackmailing and character assassination, just to garner undue favour from politicians as the 2023 general elections draws closer.
- Members should uphold the confidence people reposed on them by staying objective, embrace all and act professionally hence the union will not be there for any member that intentionally erred for personal aggrandizement.
- Federal and Sokoto State governments should device more means of addressing the devastating security challenges in the state and the country at large.
- Government should expedite measures toward addressing the draconian rise in rural and urban migration, increased child and street begging as well as hike in the number of displaced persons, forced by the aggravated insecurity in the country, with northern states most affected.
- Sokoto state government amongst others to urgently establish a ministry or an agency for refugees to help curtail the increasing number of street begging in the state.
- ASUU should critically consider the possibility of calling off its prolonged strike action following the consequences of the action in helping the increasing number of crimes, economic hardship and other social vices among Youth who are supposed to be in schools.
- Eligible voters who have register and are yet to collect their PVCs to do so to avoid been disenfranchised.
- Politicians in the country should ensure peace before, during and after the elections.
- Sokoto state government to instantly called on owners of A.A Rano and Nura Kure filing stations along Gusau road to construct drainage to control the flash flood they have caused on the ever busy road or be appropriately sanctioned.
The congress appreciated the Federal government, Sokoto State government and Security agencies for their relentless efforts toward addressing security challenges across the state.
It Also commended the state government for subsidising fertilizer and other farm inputs to farmers and appealed that refuse dumps within the Abu Dankure Meat and Vegetable market as well as renovation of potholes and roundabouts within the metropolis should be considered by the government with immediate effect.
