From Joseph Adahnu, Yola
The coverage of Taraba State government activities by journalists, has taken a new dimension as the Cprrespondents’ chapel of the state council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), has ordered the boycott of all state functions, including the state visit by President Bola Tinubu, scheduled for today.
This is as the chapel passed a vote of no confidence in the state Commissioner for Information and Reorientation, Barr.Zainab Jalingo over allegations of incompetence and deliberate isolation of the independent media.
After an emergency meeting on Tuesday, in Jalingo, the Chapel, resolved that for peace to reign between the state and Journalists, Governor Agbu Kefas, has to remove the Commissioner. Describing her as incompetent, harsh, unfriendly towards the media, thus casting the administration in bad light.
In the Congress resolution signed by the Resolution Drafting Committee Chairman, Mr Charles Akpeji, the Chapel decried what they described as a neglect of journalists and the profession, citing the Commissioner’s deliberate and continued sidelining of the press in the coverage of state functions.
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The Chapel also expressed outrage over government’s failure, to accredit its members for coverage of the high-profile upcoming Taraba State International Investment Summit (TARAVEST), and the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the state.
“Following the high level of incompetence displayed by the Taraba state Commissioner for information, Barrister Zainab Usman Jalingo, the correspondents’ chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on her, and asked Governor Agbu Kefas, to remove her for the interest of good governance.
“Barr. Usman Jalingo has continuously failed in discharging her duty as Commissioner for information, making the government of Governor Agbu Kefas unprojected.
“Her deliberate and continue sidelining of the press during major state functions, and the government failure to accredit correspondent’ members for coverage of the high-profile upcoming Taraba State International Investment Summit (TARAVEST), and the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the state on Wednesday calls for a stick action.
“We have seen this action as a calculated attempt to gag the press, and we unequivocally condemn the blatant disregard for press freedom and transparency. We hereby announced an immediate and indefinite boycott of all Taraba State Government activities.
“Following a statement credited to the Commissioner regarding the invitation of journalists for a road walk, an event from which members of the Correspondents’ Chapel were excluded, we wish to inform the general public that henceforth, the correspondent’ chapel would no longer report any government activities.
“However, we wish to reassure residents of Taraba State of our unwavering commitment to our watchdog role. We will continue to report on issues affecting citizens and will hold the government accountable regardless of intimidation or exclusion,” the chapel resolved.
