TheCable

President Bola Tinubu says the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has sent a resounding message to the nation that elections can be conducted without malice and bitterness.

Eze Anaba (pictured) of Vanguard Newspapers was elected the new president of the NGE along with other officials during the union’s National Biennial Convention on Saturday.

In a congratulatory message issued by Dele Alake, presidential special adviser on special duties, communications and strategy, Tinubu said the conduct of the election has shown that the country can imbibe a sustainable and democratic culture.

He added that it is of utmost importance that the various unions in the media industry imbibe the ethos of internal democracy.

“By its peaceful and rancour-free conduct of elections to elect its new officers, the NGE has sent a resounding message to the larger Nigerian polity that elections for desired offices can be intensely competed for without degenerating into bitterness, acrimony and needless malice,” the president was quoted to have said.

“In this regard, Mr President commends those who lost out in the elections at various levels such as Mr Bolaji Adebiyi of ThisDay newspaper for accepting the outcome and pledging support for the winners. This is a light that the NGE is showing that the rest of us may find the way to a mature, tolerant, stable and sustainable democratic culture.

“But then, elections are not held within the unions in our profession just for the sake of holding elections to appoint new officers of associational offices. Rather, the larger picture is to ensure at all times that we place the profession in prime position to continually fulfil its constitutional obligation of serving as a watchdog of the people in checking the excesses of government and promoting the greatest good of the greatest number of our people.”

Noting the role of the media in the emergence and growth of Nigeria’s democracy, the president said the challenges ahead of the sector are greater than the paths traversed before.

Tinubu said his administration will collaborate with the media towards achieving its objectives in the best interest of Nigeria.