Speaker tasks media on agenda setting for public office holders
By Isaac Job, Uyo
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke has charged media practitioners to set an agenda for public office holders to make them accountable to the people and enthrone good governance in Nigeria.
Luke disclosed this yesterday in Uyo during a thank you visit to the Akwa Ibom state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for support given him in the last four years.
The speaker who represents Nsit Ubium state Constituency in the sixth state Assembly was elected in the last general elections to represent Etinan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
He commended the media in the state for setting a positive agenda that assisted the legislature and the executive in the development of the state in the last four years.
“I came here to tell you thank you. I have come to a fulfilling end. That is why I am here to say thank you. I appreciate the power you have to shape public opinion for those of us in public office,” he stated, recalling that it was the media community that set an agenda for the renaming of Akwa Ibom Airport as Obong Victor Attah International Airport.
“The media community in Akwa Ibom state has been the greatest ally of the state legislature and nothing best illustrates this than the support which you have shown to us in your reportage.
“You refused to set a negative agenda for us and today, we have a peaceful and progress driven state. Instead of setting a negative agenda, you set a positive one such as the renaming of Obong Victor Attah International Airport.
“Today, the sixth assembly takes the glory for the naming of that airport after our dear former governor. I am also proud that this motion was brought and the pronouncement was made by me as the speaker, but the glory actually should go to Akwa Ibom journalists who endlessly pushed that agenda.
“You continued to remind us of the need to take that bold step. That is the kind of agenda that you set for us, thereby making us a better assembly. We came to thank you for not pushing us to become a clog in the wheels of governance in the state,” Luke added.
