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The Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Saturday unanimously adopted Comrade Alhassan Yahya and Dr. Mrs. Abimbola Oyetunde as sole Presidential and Deputy Presidential Candidates for the coming National Triennial Delegates Conference of the Union in Imo state tagged “Owerri 2024”.
The event took place during the campaign flag off and inauguration of “A+A Campaign Council” at the Lagos NUJ Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The campaign team was received by leaders, members and veterans of the Council under the chairmanship of Comrade Adeleye Ajayi and Tunde Olalere as Secretary.
Moving the motion for the adoption of Alhassan and Abimbola, as well as other candidates under the “A+A Campaign Council”, Comrade Abiodun Akinbusuyi, former sec of the council, said he did so after listening to the candidates and perusing through their manifesto.
He said that the answers Comrade Yahya provided to numerous questions thrown at him by members of the council demonstrated that he was well grounded with the needs of members of NUJ and modern trends in media practice.
Seconding the motion, Comrade Odunayo David, a member of the Correspondents Chapel, Lagos, urges his colleagues to waste no time in settling for the duo and their team, noting that with them at the helm of affairs NUJ would witness massive progress and transformation.
Earlier, the Director General of the “A+A Campaign Council” and Chairman of Oyo State Council of the Union, Comrade Demola Babalola (JP), introduced the candidates of the team, including Yahya, Abimbola, Comrade Victor Ndukwe (Treasurer), Comrade Samuel Dada (Financial Secretary), Ronke Samo (VP B Zone) and Tukur Mohammed.
Babalola said it was because of the respect the team has for Lagos Council as the foremost council in the country that made the team to choose the Council for the flag off campaign.
The Presidential Candidate, Comrade Alhassan Yahya while presenting his manifesto, said his administration would reintroduce insurance scheme (especially health insurance) and weigh in allowance for journalists.
He also promised to restructure the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), establish NUJ online radio, develop the infrastructure at the NUJ Secretariat, ensure capacity building for journalists, sustain press freedom, and work with other stakeholders to attract FG intervention fund for the media and reintroduce a bill for new salary structure (media enhancement bill).
Yahya, who is the current Deputy President of NUJ, also explained that he chose a female running mate because of belief that women should be given equal opportunities, adding that if elected his deputy would not be a spare tyre, but equal contributor in the running of the Union alongside other stakeholders.
Deputy Presidential candidate, Dr. Abimbola urged the Lagos Council to make the right choice by voting them into office,and promised that she and her team would not disappoint the Council and the Union.
Leaders of NUJ across the South West and other parts of the country graced the occasion.
With the flag off, the A+A Campaign Council was set to take the campaign to other councils in the country ahead of the NUJ Triennial Delegates Conference slated for Owerri, Imo state on November 27, 2024.
