Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), has assured Journalists in the state of its readiness to partner with them towards achieving the best ever credible local government elections in the state.
The PLASIEC Chairman, Plangji Daniel Cishak, disclosed this Thursday when he led Management Committee of the Commission in a familiarisation tour to the State headquarters of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Jos, the Plateau State capital ahead of the forthcoming Local Government Elections.
The Chairman said, the magnitude of overseeing the local government electoral process was so huge that needed partnership with the media to help create awareness for people to have confidence in the electoral process.
He commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang, for carefully selecting these calibre personalities who have proven track record to work together and bring out the best in forthcoming Local Government Council Elections.
Cishak opined that, “I am so happy that I am working with the calibre of people who really love this state and are not willing to drag their names into the mud. I dear say that Plateau people should expect nothing but the best of elections ever held in the state.
“We know the critical role this Union has played and we will be very foolish to underrate what you are doing and we cannot succeed without this Union. That is why we came to familiarise ourselves with you and also with us.
“We know the sensitivity of this job that is why we want to be closed to you so that, our information not be hidden. It is when you hide your information that fake news pop up. We want our information to be credible and transparent for the people of Plateau State”, he enthused.
Responding on behalf of Members, the Plateau State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mrs. Ayuku Pwaspo, expressed joy that PLASIEC understood and saw NUJ as a critical partner towards the progress and success of this election.
She said, “I want to you know that elections at whatever level for Journalists is a national assignment and we are not taking this coming election for granted looking at what transpired in the past elections. Be open to Journalists as you said and we will give you the need support in disseminating the information”.
The PLASIEC team were earlier at Jos Zonal Office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and they received by Zonal Manager , Mrs. Nyisom Dore. She assured the team of partnership saying, “when you talk to NAN, you are talking to all because we are professionals with 80% of fairness and balanced coverage”.
While at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Jos Network Centre, the Zonal Director, Mrs. Rifkatu Daniel, encouraged PLASIEC to have retainer with NTA so that, all their activities would be broadcast on the national network news.
The PLASIEC Chairman also took the team to the Jos Silverbird Communication. The Business Manager of the Station, Mr. Samson Omale, congratulated the committee on their appointment and thanked the team for identifying with them.
He, however, disclosed that this was the first time the Management of PLASIEC visited the station in their seventeenth years (17yrs) of its existence here in Jos saying, “I am confident when I heard that announcement of this team and I said, Plateau State is in for good time when you talk of electoral process”.
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