Bauchi, July 7, 2015 (NAN) Mr Mustapha Lamidi, a presidential candidate in the forthcoming Nigeria Union if Journalists (NUJ),elections has promised to address the menace of quacks in the profession if voted into office..
Lamidi,an editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), made the promise on Tuesday in Bauchi when he addressed some journalists while on campaign tour of the North East Region.
He emphasized that the national secretariat of the union would collaborate with the security agencies to stem out quacks that had bastardised the profession.
Lamidi, former Zonal Secretary, North Central, and currently, National Internal Auditor of the union, expressed dismay that earlier efforts made by the union to address the problem, was thwarted by media proprietors, especially the private media outfits.
He said that he would also ensure that welfare of journalists, especially remunerations, was enhanced, considering the rigours journalists undergoe in the practice of their profession.
Lamidi lamented that while the union was fighting over “slave labour” that existed in most private media houses, the affected staff sometimes did not support the struggle as they often took sides with their employers, thereby, thwarting such efforts.
He said that the union would resort to lobbying members of the National Assembly to ensure that stringent laws were enacted to address such ugly development obtained in some media houses.
He, therefore, called on journalists to vote for him during the forthcoming delegates conference, to enable him implement his agenda for the good of members..
Alhaji Muktar Gidado, a National Ex-Officio of the union, in a response, described Mustapha Lamidi as a humble and productive personality, whose antecedents were most pronounced as far back as 1991.
Gidado, who is also vying for the position of Deputy National President of the union in the forthcoming election, said that Lamidi deserved the position because of his wealth of experience.
On his part, Malam Dahiru Garba, Chairman, Bauchi State Council of the NUJ, said that the union had been looking for a committed, dedicated and hard-working leader, like Lamidi.
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“Lamidi is one of the officials of the National Secretariat that had performed well and we hope he will do more .
“We have no option but to align with him and ensure that he emerges victorious,” said Garba.(NAN)