Nigeria Union of Journalists Gombe state chapter on Wednesday tackled the state House of Assembly over what it termed defamation.
According to a press release which was signed by the chairman and state secretary Saidu Malala and Danjuma Kala respectively, the union frowned at it inclusion amongst institutions it worked with in the recently concluded hearing on Joint Projects Development Agency, which led to it subsequent passage.
The statement partly states, “The report dated 28th May, 2020 signed by the chairman house committee on Local Government and chieftaincy Affairs Hon. Shuaibu Haruna and others indicated in paragraph 2 fifth line that the committee liaised with our great union in a public union organized by the House of Assembly on Friday 22nd may, 2020 which is absolutely wrong, misleading and defamatory in nature.
“We were shocked with such a false statement coming from the respected arm of government without necessary verifications.
“As partners in progress, we were initially expecting a formal invitation from the honourable house during the public hearing on the bill for us to make our stand clear as a union, but to our dismay we were not even invited and after the program the report of the committee went viral implicating the union as among others that contributed during the hearing which led to amendment in the bill.
“Based on this, the council of our great union after due consultations with members as well as our legal team, we demand that the House call the leadership of joint committee for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Judiciary to order, Issue public apology to the union within 10 days and Issue same apology letter to all media organizations in the state for the defamatory nature of statement credited to the NUJ.”