Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Journalists in Nigeria have renewed the mandate of the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ), Comrade Christopher Isiguzo, as he emerged victorious at the 7th triennial conference of the Union held in Umuahia, Abia State capital, during which other members of the National Working Committee were also elected.
Deputy National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, who was the returning officer announced the results of the poll Thursday night, saying Isiguzo polled 665 votes to beat his only opponent, Yusuf Idris who got 15 votes.
Isiguzo, who is the Enugu State Correspondent of THISDAY Newspaper, was first elected NUJ president in 2018 and successfully completed his tenure before his reelection despite litigations mounted by his opponents to stop his reelection.
Addressing a crowd of cheering supporters after emerging victorious, Isiguzo said that his victory was a vote of confidence on his leadership by journalists across the nation, adding that with the support of members he was now poised to take the journalism profession to greater heights.
He assured that the new executives would not disappoint the Union as they would redouble their efforts to serve the Union better to justify the confidence reposed in them by journalists in Nigeria.
Just before the commencement of the technical session of the conference a mild drama ensued when the only rival presidential candidate, Idris sent a message via email announcing his withdrawal. But the Credentials Committee rejected the letter as it was not signed and insisted that polling should go ahead.
The 2021 triennial conference was attended by over 1,000 delegates from across Nigeria. The opening ceremony was characterised by frank speeches on the way forward for the nation already weighed down by myriads of problems.
The keynote speaker, Chief Emma Agu, who is the managing director of True Vision Newspaper, called on Nigerian journalists to take up the challenge of driving the process of national renewal and free the nation from all the negative forces and tendencies stalling national growth, unity and cohesion.
“We need national renewal,” he asserted, adding that “the general feeling is that each time we take a step forward, we take another step backwards.”
In the address entitled ‘The Media In Times Of National Renewal’, Agu, who had served as both editor and acting director of Champion Newspapers, noted that despite the divergent opinions across the political divide on the way forward, there was a consensus that things had gone from bad to worse hence the need for national renewal.
