By Correspondent in Minna.
One of the vehicles donated to NUJ,Niger State Council.
The Nigeria Union Journalists( NUJ),Niger State Council,says it receives three cars as gifts from two public spirited politicians with the latest coming from a politician cum publisher, Alhaji Muhammad Idris Malagi, who said his gesture of
an 18-seater Toyota bus to the council was to boost the transportation of Journalists in the state.
Our Correspondent reports that Malagi is the Publisher of BluePrint Newspapers and one of the governorship aspirants in the just concluded primaries during which he contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger state.
Our Correspondent recalls that after the election, in which ten aspirants contested to pick the party’s flag bearer for the 2023 Governorship electíon, Malagi came second with 386 votes to Hon. Umar Bago, a House of Representatives member representing Chanchaga Federal Constituency.
Our Correspondent further reports that Bago also donated two Sharon buses to the union.
Presenting the keys of the branded ‘NUJ’ bus to the Council Chairman, at the IBB Pen House, Minna, Barrister Bala Marka, on behalf of Malagi said the event represents the fulfilment of Malagi’s promise to the Journalists in the state.
Malagi, who described himself as a friend of Journalists,said the donation was to ease mobility challenges of journalists in the Council.
According to Malagi, his magnanimity stretches beyond victory or loss in the just concluded APC election primaries’,
“Notwithstanding the unfavourable outcome of the primaries conducted in the state, what transpired, politically, has not deterred me from redeeming my promise to the NUJ, Niger state Council during my electioneering campaign days,” he said.
Malagi assured Journalists in the state that he remained part and parcel of the state media family, hence his resolve to partner with the NUJ, Niger state Council for the growth and development of the state’.
Responding, the Chairman of the Council, Comrade Abu Nmodu, appreciated the politician for redeeming his promise, adding that the gesture brought to three, the number of vehicles donated to the union in one week.
Comrade Abu, who described journalists in the state as critical thinkers, adding that they have been practising responsible journalism in accordance with the ethical codes of the profession.
The chairman said his members adhered to the core values of social contract in democracy in this current political era and had contributed their quota to the socio-economic growth and development of Niger state.
He emphasised the need for them to work in closer tie with politicians as critical stakeholders in the governance of the state.
The chairman, however, urged politicians to adhere strictly to the rules of the game in order to avoid overheating the polity.
He also advised politicians to adopt the right values, skills and knowledge in their pursuit for power telling them that politics and purposeful leadership could only thrive in an atmosphere of peaceful co-existence amongst the citizenry.
Nmodu said the donation was timely “as the gesture will enhance mobility of the Council members, especially for grassroots reportage of events in accordance to the quest for developmental journalism.”.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
