Media Should Take Frontal Position in Upholding the Rule of Law – Akpata
3 min read
Tasks Women Journalists on Professional and Unbiased Reportage
By Grace Solomon
Benin City – The need for journalists to remain formidable frontliners in the struggle for an egalitarian society has been emphasized today in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Reeling out the issues that beset the Nigerian society, from abject poverty to bad governance and to the monetization of politics, lack of accountability and lack of judicious use of resources by those in governance, Mr Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, a governorship contender under the Labour Party in Edo state, tasked members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Edo State Chapter on the need to adopt the highest form of professionalism and ethics of the journalism profession in the discharge of their duties.
The Labour Party flag bearer gave this admonition today during a courtesy call on him by members of the Association, led by Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan, Chairperson and members of her Executive.
“Your pen is a powerful tool. I know the power of the media, I know your capacity to set agenda and change narratives. We must decide what we want, how we intend to move this country forward, otherwise the country will go to the underdogs of under development.”
He appealed to journalists to pay attention to the monetization of politics, to the rate of poverty in the land and to be in the forefront in raising their voice in reducing the rate of transactional politics, where the highest bidder takes it all and subsequently subjects governance to ordeal through non or under-performance. ”
“I will run a people-centric administration; government that is compassionate and not narcissistic. We need to address how to stop the monetization of politics. The people deserve the kind of leaders they get. We must begin to reorientate the people on good governance, to interrogate the system.
When you see people waylaying food trucks, stealing food, you will realise that hunger is real and there is only a thin line, fine line, between man and animal…that is what has propelled me into this space, so that we can successfully begin to address these issues with a view to reversing them. I assure you, you will not see me running a government that I will go there and trying to recoup.” He stated.
Earlier in her address, Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan, Chairperson, commended the Governorship candidate on his noble initiatives, especially plans to ensure that women are equitably represented in his administration if elected in office and the assurance to reduce hunger and poverty in the land.
“As stakeholders, we have a part to play in building the society of our dream, and women journalists are unrelenting in pushing forward for equal representation of women in governance and for reduction in poverty, hunger and disease in the nation.”
She listed areas of collaboration between NAWOJ and the party flag bearer and extended an invitation to him to be one of the speakers at the forthcoming Zonal Conference of the Association scheduled to hold in August.
The NAWOJ Executives were also joined on the visit by Comrade Ijeoma Umeh, Pioneer Chairperson of NAWOJ, Edo State Chapter.
