By Amina Ahmed
Bauchi – The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, says it will partner with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), INEC and other agencies on how to promote quality political reportage.
The state NUJ Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Malam-Goje, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Wednesday that the collaboration was in preparation for the coverage of the 2019 general elections in the state.
He said that the other partners in the collaboration included the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Nigerian Institute for Public Relations (NIPR).
Malam-Goje said that the council intended to mobilise its members and sensitise them toward setting a good agenda for the coverage of the 2019 general elections.
“As agenda-setters, the council will ensure that journalists in the state set a good agenda for the public.
“The council will mobilise and sensitise its members on political reportage to ensure that reports are done in line with professional rules and constitutional provisions during the electioneering and campaign period.
“Although journalists are fully aware of the extant laws guiding political reporting but we need to remind ourselves of the professional way of reporting politics.
“The sensitisation activity will involve lectures from officers of the NBA, NIPR, NOA and INEC, among others, to ensure that 2019 general elections are adequately and well covered,’’ he said.
Malam-Goje called on the general public to distinguish between news items emanating from the conventional media and those from the social media so as to get credible information on issues.
“The conventional media reports are genuine and factual with series of gate keeping activities but the reports of the social media have little or no facts, thereby complicating issues, particularly in sensitive areas,’’ he said.