Christian Aburime, press secretary to Governor Charles Soludo, has urged the Anambra chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to retract its negative comments against the governor.

Mr Aburime said this during an interaction with journalists in Awka while reacting to a communique issued on Monday by the NUJ.

The NUJ, in its July meeting, frowned upon the purported shutdown of National Light, a state-owned newspaper without provisions for its workers’ welfare.

“Congress frowned at the ill-treatment of journalists by Prof Chukwuma Soludo led administration which led to his shutting down National Light Newspapers without any reason, thus portraying his government as wicked and without a human face,” the NUJ had claimed.

Mr Aburime said Soludo was an amiable, methodological and egalitarian governor who did not fit the mould the NUJ placed him in. While pleading not to speak regarding the newspaper, Mr Aburime said the matter was being handled by the appropriate ministry and agency subject to due process.

He described NUJ’s position as “uncharitable” and called for restraint and retraction of the comment.

“Soludo is a good man. He is governing Anambra with a human face and means well for Anambra. The government is media-friendly. It encourages free media and does not fit into the image painted by the NUJ,” Mr Soludo’s spokesman stated.

Mr Aburime added, “We urge the Union to retract the statement and support the Policies of this government.”

(NAN)