It has been revealed that most of the past leaders of the Nigeria Union of journalists, Imo State Council who should under normal circumstances protect and enhance the interest of the union and its members are involved in the alleged fraudulent plot to sell the union’s secretariat situated along Port Harcourt road Owerri, in the same way they connived and attempted to sell the union’s property behind Concorde Hotel, Owerri.
It was gathered from a reliable source that the latest plot to sell the union’s Port Harcourt road secretariat was hatched with the consent of the former Imo NUJ Chairman, Innocent Igwe and his predecessor, Fidel Onyeneke who used Chris Akaraonye who retired as a Grade Level 08 photographer at the Ministry of Information as their errand boy to sell the multi-million naira edifice, while waiting for the balance of N78m to be paid.
It was also gathered that, “all this was done with the consent of Anambra State born Chris Isiguzo who in 2018, was cash strapped and needed money desperately to contest the Presidency of the union. He reportedly approached former Governor Rochas Okorocha for financial assistance and also adopted his “Rescue Mission” campaign slogan to enable him get the former Governor’s endorsement and financial support. As a result of his desperation the former Governor who had been thinking of how to appropriate the Imo NUJ Secretariat for his personal use, in his characteristic manner muted the idea of selling the edifice to him as a condition for raising fund for Isiguzo who at that time had no other option.”
“Besides, being an indigene of Anambra State where the NUJ stays in a rented apartment because it does not have a permanent secretariat, he has nothing to lose, hence he accepted the offer with both hands.’
“With this development, they struck a deal that the property should be leased allegedly to the former Governor for a period of 90 years at the rate of N98m.”
The source disclosed that the former governor reportedly paid a deposit of N20m and promised to pay the balance of N78m when he finally takes possession of the property.
“Knowing that journalists in the state would vehemently oppose the deal, the alleged fraudsters subtly issued quit notices to occupants of the secretariat and later vandalized it to facilitate the illicit takeover bid and payment of the balance which they desperately needed to rehabilitate themselves.”
