The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Kebbi State chapter, has rejected allegations by a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulwaheed Umar, that the media has failed to adequately report the achievements of the Kebbi people and the state government.
The rebuttal follows remarks reportedly made by Umar during an NLC retreat at the Presidential Lodge in Birnin Kebbi, where he claimed to have toured parts of the state to personally verify projects executed under Governor Nasir Idris.
Umar was said to have suggested that, despite visible development efforts, the media had not given the state sufficient publicity.
In a statement issued to journalists on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Alhaji Kabiru Wurma, described the comments as misleading and unfair to practising journalists in the state.
“We were taken aback when Comrade Umar, while addressing participants at the retreat, claimed that the media had not properly reported the governor’s achievements.
“Such a statement disregards the realities of today’s digital media landscape, where news is published online and disseminated instantly across multiple platforms,” Wurma said.
Providing background to the dispute, Wurma noted that since Governor Idris’s inauguration in 2023, journalists in Kebbi have consistently reported on government policies, projects, and public engagements, both in print and across digital platforms.
He argued that coverage of infrastructure projects, education reforms, healthcare interventions, and security efforts has been extensive and verifiable.
“It is disappointing that such an uninformed assertion was made, especially by a respected elder statesman.
“There is hardly any major government initiative in Kebbi that has not been captured and widely circulated by journalists,” he added.
The NUJ chairman further emphasised what he described as a cordial working relationship between the media and the state government, insisting that reportage has reflected “tangible progress and developmental milestones” recorded so far.
Wurma also recalled that during a visit to Kebbi on October 23, 2024, the current NLC President, Joe Ajaero, commended the governor’s performance and acknowledged the steady flow of positive media reports from the state.
“There is not a day when positive stories are not coming out of Kebbi State,” Ajaero had reportedly said at the time, praising the administration’s first-year achievements.
The Correspondents’ Chapel called on Umar to retract his remarks, stressing that in the digital era, records of media coverage are easily accessible online.
“If anyone wishes to verify whether projects were reported or not, a simple online search will provide evidence.
“While we respect Comrade Umar, we will not condone any attempt to undermine or disparage the professional work of journalists in Kebbi,” Wurma stated.
The development highlights growing sensitivity around media coverage and public perception of governance in the state, particularly as stakeholders continue to assess the performance of the current administration.
