By IBRAHIM BELLO, Birnin Kebbi

The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kebbi Council, has rejected the selection of three of its members only to be covering activities of Gov. Nasir Idris in Government House, Birnin Kebbi.

The rejection was sequel to a meeting held in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday between Acting Permanent Secretary, Government House, Alhaji Ibrahim Saraki; Acting Permanent Secretary, Protocol, Alhaji Sagir Mahe and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Malam Yahaya Sarki.

Others at the meeting were; Alhaji Aliyu Bandado, Special Adviser to the governor on New Media and Master of Ceremony to the governor, Alhaji Faruk Bello-Birnin Kebbi.

Shortly after the meeting, they informed the journalists in the government house through the special adviser to governor on media and publicity that the governor had directed that he did not want to see more than three members of the correspondents’ chapel covering his activities.

In his reaction to the development, the Chairman of the chapel, Alhaji El-Yakubu Usman-Dabai, described the development as ‘counterproductive’ to journalism profession as well as the promotion of Kebbi government’s activities.

“A situation whereby we have about 18 members, representing different media outfits within and outside Nigeria, each with different in-house media style, it’s not proper and it’s unethical to give opportunities to only three members.

“The government officials should not be unmindful of the fact that, we have representatives of television, radio, newspapers and online media outlets whose in-house style varies from one another.

“When you pick newspapers to cover your functions, you deny other journalists their constitutional rights to keep Kebbi people informed on the good works of the governor.

“We have people living in remotest areas that rely solely on radio and television to receive information about government’s policies and programmes in the state,” he said.

Usman-Dabai urged the concerned officials to rescind their decision as journalists were partners in progress, saying that they should not undermine the constitutional provision that recognised journalists as the “Forth Estate of the Realm.”

In his response, the chapels’ Secretary, Ibrahim Bello, advised the media aides to the governor to educate the concerned government officials on the modus operandi of practicing journalists for the development of the state.

“I am calling on our patriotic and hardworking members to be patient and calmed as the leadership of the chapel is working hard to resolve the matters amicably,” he assured. (NAN)

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