Adamawa State council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has distanced itself from a purported endorsement of governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s second term reelection bid saying that it remained apolitical professional body.
In a communique signed by Padio Phineas, after an emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, NUJ noted with dismay how its neutral standing is being drawn into partisanship.
The NUJ’s rebuttal came in the wake of its reported endorsement of the governors second term bid alongside other professional bodies during an event organized by the Institute of Governance and Leadership Studies in Africa (IGLSA) which took place on Monday in Yola.
“Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Adamawa State council, being a professional industrial union and apolitical, has observed that it’s revered neutral standing was drawn into partisanship during an endorsement event by a group in Adamawa state.
“During the said event, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa state was said to have been endorsed by various groups, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other professional bodies.
“However, the NUJ, being the Watchdog of the society was named and escalated as one of the professional bodies that purportedly joined the endorsement jamboree as promoted on some select social media platforms.
“While the NUJ holds no grudges against those who attempted to drag our non-partisan professional group into political partisanship, we however wish to state that by our constitutional mandate, we cannot be seen to be involved or taking sides with any political party, whatsoever.
“The public should therefore note that the event at Lelewal Motel hosted by the Institute for Governance and Leadership Studies in Africa (IGLSA invited the NUJ as as critical stakeholder in the development of democracy and not as a group to add voice to it’s endorsement drive.
“NUJ therefore, wishes to inform the public to discountenance the error or misinformation contained in the outcome of the event.
“Conclusively, the NUJ is calling on all political parties to carry out their voter drive with decorum and respect to the laws of the land. Accordingly, we pray for a peaceful conclusion of the 2023 general elections,” the statement said.
