LP Tasks INEC, Secrurity Agencies On Fairness

Ahead of the this year’s general elections, the Labour Party has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure a level playing field for all political parties fielding candidates for the polls in Rivers State.
Governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Rivers State, Isaac Wonwu stated this lastWednesday when he led other candidates of the party on a courtesy call to the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at its Secretariat in Port Harcourt.
Wonwu said he was at the NUJ Secretariat to appreciate the role played by the media in political activities in the state and Nigeria at large, pointing out that the media was invaluable in actualizing democracy in the country.
He further said, “The media has remained the voice of the voiceless. We (Labour Party) attach high importance to the NUJ, hence we are here to appreciate and see how we can partner with the media houses in the Rivers State.
“As a political party in a democratic dispensation journalists have a lot of role to play. We want to believe that working with the NUJ we will be able to enthrone the dividends of democracy,” Wonwu stated,
He said that the party will be non-violent in its activities going into the elections and promised to respect the rules set by INEC and the security agencies, while urging the media to help monitor the activities of the two agencies in order to ensure fairness to all parties.
According to him,“The media has a lot of role to play to checkmate the excesses of the political parties. To checkmate the excesses of the security agencies and INEC in particular. We are appealing that you be our watchword as we pray that INEC and the security agencies will give a level playing ground for all of us to play the game,”
While seeking the partnership of the NUJ in achieving its goals, he said the party will give priority to agriculture development as a measure revenue earner and a source of employment for the teeming youths of the state as well as the provision of basic education for the people.
In his response, the State NUJ Chairman, Stanley Job Stanley welcomed Wonwu and his team to the union’s secretariat saying, “This is the first political party that has deemed it necessary to visit the NUJ,” and thanked him for appreciating the role of the media in the society,  
Stanley appealed to political parties aspiring for elective positions to go about their campaigns and the main elections peacefully and urged them see journalist as partners in progress saying the latter is duty bound to cover the elections and inform the public; even as he lauded the party for its programmes.
“I want every stakeholder to ensure that journalists are given adequate protection. I also want to call on INEC to give all the parties a level playing ground. On our part we too we are ready to do what we can to assist those who need our assistance. I welcome you to our secretariat and wish you well in your electioneering campaign,” he said.
The State NUj chairman also said that the media will continue to ensure that democracy thrives in Nigeria, adding that, “We will continue to do our work and we will remain unbiased. I want to assure you that most of my colleagues are professionals and they will go about their duties professionally,” Stanley stated.