2015 most crucial for Nigeria, says Osoba

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

Former Governor of Ogun, Chief Olusegun Osoba has described the forthcoming 2015 general elections as the most crucial in the nation’s history due to the challenges and the rising tension in the country.

Osoba stated this, yesterday while speaking as chairman of the occasion at the opening ceremony of a 3-day workshop on the role of the media in ensuring good governance and credible election in the country.

A veteran journalist, Osoba hoped that by the end of the election Nigeria and Nigerians would be able to build new hope, a hope he said that would further unite the country and usher in development.

He similarly, said that the recent elections in Ekiti and Osun states have offered a glimmer of hope, of a fair, credible and sustainable elections come 2015.

Osoba praised the Katsina state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema and the Nigerian Guild of Editors for supporting the programme and choosing the appropriate theme which he described as timely.

In a remark, the president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Malam Muhammad Garba called on the governments to take measures to protect journalists against harassment and intimidation.

He therefore lamented that during the recently conducted elections in Ekiti and Osun states no fewer than 14 cases of abuse of journalists were recorded during the conduct of the elections.

According to the president, the issue of insurance cover for journalists needs to be emphasized, disclosing that the union was doing it best over the issue to protect journalists against occupational hazards.