Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Thursday called for enhanced partnership and support from media practitioners in the state for greater service, achievement, development and growth of the state.
Bello made the call when the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi Council, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, paid him a condolence visit over the recent demise of his mother at the Government House, Lokoja.
He thanked the union member for the visit and solicited their support for his administration to succeed in its resolve to serve the people and make the state greater.
“Say exactly what is happening, say exactly what you see and whip us whenever you see us deviating from the line because that is exactly what my mother used to do. You can equally play the role of a mother to me.
“As a government, sometimes we don’t see our back. You are the one that should watch our back for us. That is why you are referred to as the Fourth Estate of the Realm. We will continue to work together to provide good leadership for Kogi people.
“You have to tell us if we are doing good so that we can do more and if we are doing anything to the contrary, please equally tell us so that we make corrections,” he said.
The governor who extolled the virtues of his late mother said, “I always say that whatever you see me exhibiting that is good, it is exactly what my mother taught me to do.
“If anything to the contrary, I must have learnt it from the society or from politicians or probably, you, the journalist, must have pushed me to the wall. You know, I have to resist it sometimes.
Speaking earlier, Alhaji Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, chairman, Kogi Council of NUJ, commiserated with the governor on the demise of his mother and prayed God for the repose of her soul.
Momoh-Jimoh commended the governor for the seed of unity and security of the state, adding that the unity so far attained had permeated the NUJ and reflected in the peaceful manner elections were being conducted in the Council.
“Three weeks from now, NUJ council election will be held in the state and quite unusual, there are no court cases to either shift and stop the election. The seed of unity is growing,” he said.