The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, is expected to declare open the 14th All Nigerian Editors Conference on Thursday in Asaba, says the Delta State Commissioner for Information. Chief Patrick Ukah.
Ukah told newsmen on Wednesday in Asaba that the state government had put necessary arrangements in place to ensure that the editors had a blissful and fruitful conference.
According to Ukah, the state is set to host the NGE Conference and adequate arrangements have been made for a successful hosting.
He said: “Vice President Osinbanjo will be in Asaba on Thursday to declare the conference open and adequate security arrangement is in place to ensure a peaceful and successful hosting of the editors conference.
“There will also be a guided tour of some of the projects executed by the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.”
Also, Asutine Ayomidejor, Asaba Airport Project Manager, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the Airport was ready to receive the vice president for a second time.
According to Ayomidejor, the airport is fully operational and could take any kind of aircraft since its upgrade and the full rehabilitation of the runway.
According to Ken Ogbeche, NGE Publicity Secretary, the conference will provide the platform for stakeholders to discuss the 2019 elections.
Ogbeche said the theme of the conference: “Credible Elections, Sustainable Democracy and the Nigerian Media,” was apt as the country’s general elections would hold next year.
He said that the conference would engage all stakeholders, politicians, security agents, civil society organisations, Independent National Electoral Commission, media and others to discuss how the country’s democracy could keep evolving.
He said: “The Vice President, state governors and other stakeholders, INEC, security agents will all be here from Thursday to discuss this all-important issue.
“What we are going to be having from Thursday is cross breeding of ideas and this is so because we are in a democracy and the worst democracy is still better than the best military regime.
“This is because under the military we don’t have that environment to discuss who govern us, how we are governed and the way we want to be governed.
“I am happy that as journalists we have been able to bring people together to talk about our democracy and the elections.
“We are expecting close to 400 editors.
“We have never had less than 300 editors from year-to-year and from today’s registrations, we are already seeing over subscription.
“This surge is because Delta is central and there is an airport and people can take flight to Asaba and or drive down with ease.”
The four-day conference will end on Saturday.
NAN.