Date: 2009-05-14

The recent media reports under the above caption, where it was alleged that the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Alhaji Magatokatda Wamako, The Governor of Sokoto State stormed out of the Northern Governors’ Forum  (NGF) meeting which took place in Kaduna in anger was not only fabricated but a falsehood of the highest order.

First and foremost, Governor Bukola Saraki, attended the meeting like his other colleagues from the region and made his contributions to the best of his ability aimed at improving the wellbeing of the region.

 The author of the story seems to have got it wrong, Dr Saraki did not stormed out of the meeting as his earlier request to leave the venue of the meeting for an appointment by 4.30 pm in Abuja had been granted by the Chairman of the Forum and Niger State Governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu.

The reporter needs to be informed that Governor Saraki left the meeting few minutes after 3:00pm on the permission of the Chairman of the forum, Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu.

He had earlier notified the forum of his appointment in Abuja same day, slated for 4:30pm. Having come by road, he took off shortly after 3:00pm in order to keep the important engagement in the Federal Capital.

While the record is there to cross check, he left the meeting venue at Usman Katsina House after the presentation made on behalf of the Northern Forum by Justice Mamman Nasiru had been concluded.

He had left the venue before the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, branches made its presentation, therefore, the issue of storming out over CAN’s position or presentation does not even arise here.

The Kwara State Government, however, appealed to Journalists to always endeavour to get their facts correctly, crosscheck their facts and avoid speculative journalism.

This is so because the issue of religion is a very sensitive one in our country. Media practitioners should therefore be conscious of this and always avoid heating up the polity in the name of practising.
 

Billy Adedamola

S.A. Media to Kwara State Governor

14/05/09