Comrade Chris Ikechukwu Isiguzo, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has assured that the journalism profession in Nigeria will be taken to a new era of professional renaissance to deeply equip the practitioners with modern technology.
The NUJ National President, who spoke after he took oath of office for a second term of three years Thursday night in Umuahia, Abia State capital, declared that the union will explore new areas of providing technological tools to journalists and make them economically stable.
Isiguzo, who secured 665 votes to beat his opponents, Comrade Yusuf Idris from Kaduna State Council at the 7th Triennial Delegates’ Conference of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, had earlier called on the federal government to support the union’s on-going drive for a Media Stabilisation Fund.
This, he observed, will assist ailing media organisations in the country to come back to life.
“Our modest achievements in our first tenure were a tip of the iceberg. We’re going to work as if we’ve just started. The confidence you reposed in us can never be in vain and I’m assuring that you’ve indeed elected people with integrity, capacity and capability and we’ll not disappoint you”, he assured.
The Returning Officer, Joe Ajaero, announced that 704 delegates were accredited for the election, which took place at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
According to the NLC’s Deputy President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, 934 registered delegates were recorded while 22 votes were voided.
Four contestants were returned unopposed in the election adjudged as peaceful by all and attended by three former Presidents of the union which include: George Izobo, Bonnie Iwuoha and Lanre Ogundipe. The elected candidates included Alhassan Abdullahi (National Deputy President), Dele Atunbi (National Treasurer), Samuel Dada (National Financial Secretary) and Ladi Emmanuel (National Internal Auditor).
Others are: Emmanuel Ifesinachi and Adiukwu Ezenwa were returned unopposed as Vice President and Secretary respectively of Zone C.
Similarly, Sambo Korede and Alege Abdulrazak were returned unopposed as Vice President and Secretary for B Zone respectively, while Zara Baba and Gimba Suleiman were returned unopposed as the Vice President and Secretary respectively in Zone E.
In Zone D, Christopher Atsaka polled 93 votes to defeat Atabor Ali and Garba Iliya as Vice President.Samson Aji scored 108 votes as against Fadeyi Adeola’s 58 votes for Secretary.
Muhammad Umar emerged Vice President Zone A after polling 37 votes to defeat Abdullahi Yanadi, who scored one vote. The position of the Secretary in Zone D went to Bello Abdulrazak.
In Zone F, Dokubo Opakamaba scored 99 votes to defeat Nene Affia, who polled 40 votes for Vice President as John Angesse garnered 107 votes to defeat Stanley Imgbi, who polled 33 votes for the position of the Secretary.
The elected officers were immediately sworn in at the conference attended by 32 State Councils by an Umuahia based legal practitioner, Akaska Dogo.
Earlier at the triennial conference, the NUJ boss stated that the union had initiated moves, with the support of other key stakeholders, to address the challenges besetting media houses in the federation and asked for the immediate stoppage of the collection of Digital Access Fee.
He berated the country’s effort at ensuring international best practices in the broadcast industry, lamenting that in spite of the efforts, it had continued to lag behind.
Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu who declared the conference open, urged journalists to uphold the unity of the nation through unbiased reportage.
Represented his Commissioner for Works, Dr Bob Ogu, the Abia chief executive lauded journalists for their efforts in ensuring peace and stability of the nation.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
