A former chairman of the Kano Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Abdulkadir Kwakwatawa has devised Journalists in the country to desist from allowing politicians to dictate to them venues of press conferences.
Kwakwatawa, who is a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), gave the advice while condemning what he called “Assault and Battery” on journalists.
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He insisted that Press Centres are far better and safer places for holding press conferences than homes of politicians.
The veteran journalist was reacting to the news that a House of Representatives member from Kano State, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, slapped a journalist, Abdullahi Yakubu during a press conference at his house.
The former NUJ chairman, who was also an NUJ Vice President from 1994 to1997, wrote in a group discussion that “Alhassan Ado Doguwa committed “Assault and Battery” and is liable to imprisonment without option of fine if found guilty as prescribed by the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code.
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“However, those of us who belong to the old brigade will not be surprised. Yes, Alhassan Ado Doguwa invited the journalists to his private residence for a press conference. The pressmen obliged and attended.
“That is the beginning of the problem and it will not end there so far journalists will attend press conferences outside the Press Center.
“During our time, when I was the Chairman of NUJ in Kano (81-83), we adopted a policy that all Press Conferences must be held at the Press Center. Exceptions were Presidents, Governors, Emirs, Police and Military Chiefs and others.
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“The policy was strictly adhered to. Though it was the tradition before we came on board as I remember covering Press Conferences at the Press Center, No. 1b France Road, Sabon Gari, Kano, (currently the Kano Office of NAN) addressed by prominent Citizens like Chiefs Zik and Awo and Malam Aminu Kano etc. But the practice was adopted as a policy in 1981.
“If the Press Conference by Alhassan Ado Doguwa was held at the Press Center, he couldn’t have been near the Journalist to assault him,” he said.
