LAGOS – The Nigeria Union Journalists and the Nigerian Guild of Editors have warned politicians against turning the country upside down in a bit to actualize their ambition.
The two highly respected authorities in the Nigerian media profession emphasized that Nigeria must not be destroyed through what they described as politics of destruction ahead of the 2023 general elections.
They gave the warning at a special reception organized by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria in honour of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, held in Lagos on Sunday.
While particularly commending Governor Bello for turning the security situation in Kogi State around for good, the National President, NUJ, Chris Isiguzo, and the President, NGE, Mustapha Isa contended that those bent on undermining winning strategies to score political points should not play with the lives of Nigerians.
The NUJ President said, “When you talk about security, you talk about Governor Yahaya Bello. I know what the security situation used to be before he came on board in Kogi, and I know what it is now.
He said, “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to our political actors, we don’t need to destroy the country because of politics.
“It does appear that some political actors want to puncture the strides of the Governor in this area, knowing full well what is coming up in 2023. We have only one country we can call our own, that is Nigeria. We have had leaders in the past, they have come and gone, if they destroyed the country, there would be no Nigeria today.
“Yahaya Bello is doing wonderfully well in the area of security. Politicians should not undermine his strategy all in the name of politics.”
He said the honour for Governor Yahaya Bello as the patron of CRAN was very apt, noting that he had brought the political touch to clean up the security system.
On his part, the NGE President, Mustapha Isa, said, “We should not mix politics with the issue of security. When we talk about the worrying insecurity in the country, some Governors join us in lamenting, they run to Abuja looking for support. When you ask them, they tell you they are not responsible. So why do they collect security votes monthly?
“One of those who do not lament, but tackle the menace headlong is Governor Yahaya Bello. That is why he is being honoured today. So, I tell our politicians, never mix politics with security. We should support those getting it right like Governor Bello to continue in that line, and also learn from them, not do everything to puncture our gains at the expense of the people.”
In his welcome address, The President of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), Sunday Odita disclosed that members of the association organised the reception in honour of the Governor to show appreciation to him for being the first governor in Nigeria to train crime reporters and also empower them to perform their roles better in these trying times.
He noted that from reports around the country, Kogi State was the safest in the North and one of the safest today in Nigeria, owing to the sound security strategies of the Governor, as outlined by the State Security Adviser.
The CRAN President said, a leader who attached so much importance to security was one who deserved higher assignments.
Responding, Governor Yahaya Bello, who was represented by the State Security Adviser, Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) said the state had responded promptly and successfully to some pockets of violence, noting that an announcement would be made on the issue very soon.
He thanked the Nigerian media for the special recognition, saying it was a call on him to do more.
