*Tasks media organisations on ethics of profession in election reports
*Asks NASS to pass President Buhari’s Bill on Electoral Offences Commission into law
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Pillars behind the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWGN)’s successes in terms of programmes and activities, that is the Board of Trustees (BOT), converged on Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, recently.
The meeting, held precisely on Saturday October 8, 2022 equivalent to Rabiul Awwal 13, 1444 A.H., was presided over by the MMWGN BOT Chairman, Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali (SAN), with other members in attendance with the exception of two, who sent apologies for their unavoidable absence.
Those in attendance included Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, from Oyo State, who is former Minister of Communications, Barr. Sulaiman Ukandu, former Commissioner for Lands Abia State, Professor Abdul-Ganiyu Ambali, former Vice Chancellor University of Ilorin, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, the National Coordinator MMWGN and Dr. Nasir Balogun, the National Secretary of the Group. The two unable to make the meeting but sent apologies were Professor Saadiyah Omar Bello from Sokoto State and Mallam Mohammed Haruna from Niger State, who later joined the meeting via zoom.
Moving forward, the BoT meeting, which commended the Group for playing its role very well especially in the promotion of qualitative media da’wah (Islamic propagation through media), prompt response to national issues with a view of promoting Islamic awareness and shaping the opinions of Muslim Ummah as well as sponsorship of Islamic programmes on the electronic media, touched on core pressing national issues namely politics of 2023, insecurity and national economy with a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
According to the communiqué jointly signed by Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), Chairman, and Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, Secretary, and copy of which was later sent to The DEFENDER, the Board of Trustees, however, called on wealthy Muslims to support the Group by spending their wealth profitably by sponsoring Islamic programmes in the media not only during Ramadan period but all year round for abundant rewards from Almighty Allah.
2023 elections
On the forthcoming general elections, it started by tasking the media organisations across the country “to uphold the ethics of the profession by shunning divisive reportage that could promote tension and violence during the forthcoming general election. It calls on the Federal Government to ensure absolute security for voters and election officials throughout the Election so as to make it credible and acceptable to all to strengthen democracy in Nigeria.
“It also calls on the electoral umpire i.e. the INEC to remain independent and neutral in the conduct of the forthcoming election in the Country.”
On insecurity
The Board commended security agencies especially the military for rescuing successfully, the remaining 23 hostages captured by terrorists during the March 28, 2022Abuja–Kaduna train attack and advised that stringent measures are needed to ensure absolute security for citizens of the country.
“This it said would curb excesses of criminal elements kidnapping, abducting and killing innocent citizens across the Country,” the Board said in the communiqué through which it further called on the Federal Government to ensure that necessary security necessary strategies are put in place before Abuja–Kaduna and other rail lines traffics are restored to prevent re-occurrence of the ugly incident of March.
It added that road, rail, sea and air travelling must be safe in Nigeria.
Warning to politicians
On politics, the BOT of Muslim Media Watch Groups of Nigeria warned politicians not to turn Nigeria into battle-field because of their ambitions, adding that campaigns and electoral processes must be devoid of criminal activities such as thuggery, arson, kidnapping, abductions and physical attacks.
It said this while also calling on security agents to deal with electoral offenders in accordance with provisions of the new Electoral Law 2022 and other Laws of the land.
The MMWGN BOT, seized the opportunity of the meeting, to also appeal to the National Assembly to urgently pass the law forwarded to them by President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, for setting-up of National Electoral Offences Commission and ensure that the Commission is constituted without further delay.
National economy
“The BOT states that for the Nation’s Economy to get out of doldrums, we must tackle the following challenges: (i) Unemployment (ii) Economic Reform (iii) Brain-drain (iv) Pay better attention to the funding of education and (v) Address shortage of critical infrastructure such as road, rail, air and sea transportation,” the communiqué said.
In the meantime, the Board of Trustees of the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWGN), during the meeting, congratulated one of its members, Professor Saadiya Omar Bello of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, on her conferment of National Honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by President Muhammadu Buhari on scheduled for Tuesday October 11, 2022 at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
The meeting concluded with a resolve that the forthcoming National Conference of Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria be supported morally and financially to enhance activities of the Association.
