From Romanus Ugwu, and Molly Kilete, Abuja
All Progressives Congress (APC) group, under the umbrella of APC Stakeholders Forum, yesterday, commended the management of the Sun Publishing Limited over the stables’ objective, balanced and unbiased editorial coverage of the 2023 general election.
The forum made the commendation when the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, Col. Abdulmumini Aminu (retd), led a delegation to pay a courtesy visit on the medium’s Abuja office, yesterday.
Aminu specifically noted that despite operational pressures, the management of the publishing company ensured that every political party was given equal representation in its editorial, before, during and after the general election.
“The purpose of our visit is to thank the management of the Sun Publishing Ltd for the wonderful job you did as media outfit before, during and after the 2023 general election,” he commended, adding; “your paper took a neutral position, highly impartial, unbiased and professional in your editorial content.
“You provided a level playing ground for the political parties even when you ought to have invested interest. The opportunity you gave to all the political parties in your editorial made it possible for them to have equal chance and voice. Your paper made it possible for Nigeria to have a very peaceful election. You didn’t take side otherwise by now the country would have been in trouble,” the forum praised.
While showering more encomiums on the newspaper outfit, Aminu said: “You did all that in the interest of the nation. You did not take side and despite facing pressures, you remained neutral. And that is why we said we must visit and honour your medium for the critical role and selfless services you rendered in this dispensation. The way you managed the situation was highly professional and commendable.”
Stating further the purpose of the visit, the forum’s BoT chairman, said: “Our mission again is to intimate and invite you of our programme, Prayer for a successful tenure, national unity and award presentation, coming up on May 24, in Abuja. We want to organise a prayer session for the success of the incoming administration, for peace, unity and stability of our country, Nigeria.
“It will involve everybody because before now, Nigerian was at par, in terms of development, with countries like India, Pakistan, Indonesia among others, but those countries have surpassed Nigeria. It is obvious that we have refused to appreciate our strength and unity, instead we have continued to bask on religious and tribal sentiments.
“And until we overcome these mundane sentiments, we cannot achieve positive results. All that must change because this country belongs to all of us more than any individual, section or tribe. Nigeria is the issue and we must work tirelessly to ensure that it remains an indivisible entity.
“We also intend to give awards to deserving Nigerians, which your organisation is one of them, the APC governors, especially from the North, for standing their grounds in ensuring that power shifted to the South.
“They resisted every pressure and even went out of their way to ensure they actualised the power shift. Individually and collectively, they stood their grounds to ensure that President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, won the February 25 presidential election. We want to also use the opportunity to urge all Nigerians to support the incoming government,” he said.
Responding, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Onuoha Ukeh, thanked the delegation for the objective assessment of the medium, pledging to give it full support, especially its forthcoming programme.
Represented by the Editor Nation’s Capital and the North, Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Onuoha said: “We want to commend you for taking time to visit us. We are humbled by your kind words about our editorial content. We want to assure you of our full support to your forthcoming programme in Abuja.”