The Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ima Niboro, on Thursday said that the recent governorship election in Ekiti was a defining moment in the nation’s electoral process.
Ayo Fayose
Niboro said this when the governor-elect of the state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
He said that the outcome of the election was an indication of the present administration’s commitment toward ensuring peaceful and credible elections in the country.
“ The Ekiti election is, in itself, a watershed in the Nigerian electoral process.
“ You will see elections happening and after elections you will see troubles everywhere but in the case of Ekiti, there was peace everywhere.
“ It shows effectively that the choice of the people has actually been honoured and respected.’’
Niboro said the election which produced Fayose as the governor-elect was conducted in an atmosphere devoid of crisis.
He said the result of the election was a clear indication of the wish of the people.
Niboro also said the acceptance and affirmation of the election result by the out-going governor was a demonstration of statesmanship.
“ We also commend the outgoing governor, for his show of statesmanship, for conceding and congratulating you”.
He said NAN remained the hub of all media institutions in the country.
Niboro said the agency, with a network of reporters, was promoting democracy through its accurate, objective and balanced reporting.
“We have 535 reporters spread across the nation and in five bureaus in the world.
“We have bureau in New York, we have bureau in London, and we have one in Addis- Ababa, another one in Abidjan, and another one in Johannesburg.
“So when you speak to NAN, you are assured that you are speaking to the rest of world, because we are connected.
“We have over 600 clients, all the newspapers, all the radio stations in Nigeria, are our clients. So when you speak to NAN, you speak to the nation,’’ he said.
He said NAN would partner with the Ekiti- State government to deepen the issues of democracy and development.
He said the security challenge in the nation was peculiar to every nation in the world.
“We know that every nation passes through this phase, and one day we will look back and say we have archived greatness in Nigeria in spite of the challenges.
Responding, the governor-elect, Mr Ayodele Fayose, said he would take advantage of the capacity of NAN to disseminate information about his administration to the public.
“The News Agency of Nigeria is the nerve centre in terms of information dissemination.
“We have aligned ourselves with you because everybody who is in the industry knows that whatever NAN carries is not sentimental, it is not politicised; it is the fact in the issue.
“For us NAN is the key. NAN is germane and I have always found that they are the only credible people who can project the truth,’’.
Fayose said NAN was playing a critically role through its reportage in advancing the growth of Nigeria.
He said efforts should be intensified to project the good image of the country by supporting the activities of the current administration in its quest to transform the nation.
“We must all work as a team to re-position Nigeria, because whatever party that comes to power, it is the individual that drives these vehicles, it is the character of individuals that matters.
“For me I want to make sure that I make this generation proud; make this party proud. Our generation must do everything possible to turn around this country.’’
He urged NAN to continue to project Nigeria in the right perspective.
