Campaigns kick-off: NUJ charges politicians to play by the rules

By -

*NUJ National President, Mr. Chris Isiguzo


(Nigeria) As the 2023 general electioneering campaigns officially kick off on Wednesday, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has called on politicians seeking positions into various offices and their teeming supporters across the country to do everything possible to protect Nigeria's nascent democratic process, stick to the rules of the game and run factual and issue-based campaigns, to avoid increased tension in the polity.

NUJ National President, Mr. Chris Isiguzo gave the charge when he played host to Oche Precious Edeh, Convener of the "Value Your Vote Campaign and his" team who paid him a courtesy visit at the NUJ National Secretariat, Abuja.

He said that politicians should guard their utterances to avoid confrontation and inciting statements capable of plunging the country into avoidable unrests, because according to him, the country was already facing enough challenges of insecurity from all parts of the country and therefore, politicians should thread with caution in their campaigns.

The union urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders to provide a level playing ground for all political parties and their candidates and be alert and watchful, so as to bring defaulters to book.

"It is heart warming to note that substantial political awareness has been created during the current dispensation in all the stratas of the society. People should be free to exercise their political franchise unhindered since it is their fundamental human rights," the President added.

Isiguzo urged politicians to learn to embrace unity in  diversity, accommodate each other's differences and allow the pupulace decide who governs them, because "we have no other country to call our own.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UBTH @50: Obaseki hails institution’s role in strengthening Edo healthcare

By -
Image
(Nigeria) Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has commended the staff and management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for their unwavering commitment, dedication, and hard work in providing high-quality healthcare services to the people of Edo State and Nigeria in the past fifty years. Obaseki, at a dinner organized in honour of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Nigeria, at the Government House, Benin City, reassured the government’s continuous partnership and collaboration with the federal government-owned health institution to strengthen the health system and ensure quality health delivery to Edo people. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, reeled out the gains of the government’s reforms in the health sector, commending the medical centre for bolstering the government’s efforts at transforming Edo State into a health hub. He said, "We came into a wilderness where you have to cut a part for yourself and fix it. We held...
Read more

Osun: S'Court ruling affirmed power resides with the people - Diri

By -
Image
*Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri (Nigeria) Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said the ruling of the country’s apex court on the Osun State governorship election was an affirmation that power in a democracy resided with the people. Governor Diri, while congratulating Senator Ademola Adeleke in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, on Wednesday, expressed joy that the Supreme Court sealed the mandate freely given to the governor by the Osun people. The Bayelsa governor also said the verdict reflected the current mood of the country where those whose stock-in-trade is to promote electoral violence and subvert the will of the people have no place in our electoral system. He expressed the hope that introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, will instil more confidence in the electoral process, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deepen Nigeria’s democracy by also introducing electronic votin...
Read more

Fines on broadcast stations: NGE salutes court over perpetual order against NBC

By -
Image
(Nigeria) The Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, has commended the Federal High Court Abuja, over its order of perpetual injunctions restraining the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, from imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country. Ruling on originating motions marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1386/2021, instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda against the NBC - as sole respondent in the suit, Justice James Omotosho, also set aside the N500, 000 fines imposed on March 1, 2019, on each of 45 broadcast stations. The judge also held that the NBC, not being a court of law, had no power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations. He further held that the Nigeria Broadcast Code, which gives the commission the power to impose sanction, is in conflict with Section 6 of the Constitution that vested judicial power in the court of law. In a statement by its President, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, on Wednesday, the Guild salut...
Read more