From Esther Akaa, Lafia
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has condemned in totality the recent killings of some Tiv farmers by suspected herdsmen in Keana and Obi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
Sule made the condemnation when he paid a courtesy call on members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nasarawa State Council and the Correspondents’ Chapel on Monday at the NUJ Press Centre, in Lafia.
The governor, who also condemned the killing of some Fulani herders in the LGAs, said security agencies have been deployed to the affected areas to restore normalcy and bring perpetrators to book.
According to him, the state had been enjoying relative peace until the recent killings in some communities, saying that government will hold a security meeting to assess the situation and address the issue to enable the displaced persons return to their communities.
He called on the affected communities to remain calm as the state government was making frantic efforts to address the situation.
Speaking on the purpose of his visit, Sule said he was at the NUJ Press Centre to appreciate both the NUJ and Correspondents’ Chapel for their support since the inception of his administration.
“I believe very strongly that apart from saying thank you to you, it is extremely necessary for me as part of the tradition to at least come and inform you that I have accepted the challenge to run for another term in office, come 2023.
“The time for politics has come again and our campaign is going to be issue based. I prefer to say who I am and what I am going to do for my people. I don’t pay attention to my other opponents on what they are or what they are not. Let them also sell themselves. It is better that way.
“I had been to some media houses and I have also informed them of my intention. I, therefore, urge you to uphold the ethics of your profession and not allow me or any other politician to use you for anything negative. I assure you that I will not use you for anything negative,” Sule said.
The governor, therefore, donated a bus to the Correspondents’ Chapel to aid their mobility and pledged his continued support to enable them perform their editorial duties effectively.
Responding, Chairman of NUJ in the state, Comrade Salihu Alkali commended the President, Muhammadu Buhari for recently honouring Governor Sule for his remarkable development in the agriculture sector.
Salihu lauded the governor for the peaceful co-existence that had existed between the NUJ and government and urged him to maintain the tempo.
The NUJ Chairman, however, appealed to the governor to renovate the NUJ Press Centre and purchase a bus for the state council to aid their mobility.
He also called on the governor to train members of the union ahead of the 2023 general elections, in order to update their knowledge on current trends of reporting for the benefit of the state.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Isaac Ukpoju, appreciated the governor for the gift of the bus saying: “Today, you have demonstrated once again that you are truly a media friendly governor.
“We will try to do our best to contribute our quota towards ensuring that the state is safe for businesses to thrive and for people to live in peace.”
On her part, Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Hadiza Umar said NAWOJ was an association of women journalists saddled with the social responsibility of promoting the welfare and interests of women and children in the society.
She, therefore, called on the government to support the association when the need arises.
