Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi, members of the Kogi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in collaboration with an international NGO, Search for Common Ground, yesterday held a road walk in Lokoja to demand for peaceful, free and fair election in the state.
The event tagged ‘State Media Peace Day”, saw the journalists walk from the NUJ Secretariat to INEC Headquarters and the Police Command Headquarters in the state capital, where letters containing their demands regarding the election were handed over to INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof James Apam and the police commissioner in the state, Hakeem Busari.
The journalists carried placards bearing messages such as ‘Vote Not Fight’, ‘Think Election, Think Peace’, ‘Stop violence Against Women in Election’, ‘Say No To Hate Speech’, amongst others.
Presenting the letter to INEC’s REC, Kogi NUJ Secretary, Seidu Adamu, urged the electoral umpire to ensure all its staff and ad hoc staff are neutral and professional in the discharge of their duties during the election.
Chairperson of NAWOJ in Kogi, Ann Olurinde, while presenting their letter to the state Commissioner of Police, urged him to ensure adequate provision of security before, during and after the election.
In his response, INEC’s REC Prof James Apam while commending the journalists for the peace rally, assured them of the commission’s readiness to deliver free, fair and credible governorship election.
The Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari said they would provide adequate security and ensure conducive environment for the conduct of peaceful election in the state.
