For grossly mismanaging and scandalizing the Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National President who is of Igbo origin, Deacon Chris Isiguzo, has incurred the wrath of his colleagues in Imo State.
Rising after a stakeholders meeting at the Correspondence Chapel Secretariat Okigwe road, Owerri on Tuesday, March 25, 2020, the Imo NUJ stakeholders fell short of declaring personae non-grata on Deacon Isiguzo, as National President of NUJ.
As contained in a communiqué released after the stakeholders meeting, the Imo journalists who attended the meeting in consideration of all recent developments in the union resolved unanimously and equivocally to pass a vote of no confidence on the National President of NUJ, Deacon Chris Isiguzo including his surrogates and illegitimate executive committee which he foisted on Imo NUJ withp Christopher Akaraonye as Chairman. The said Akaraonye had retired from the civil service as photographer and hence lacks the knowledge and capacity to run a professional outfit such as NUJ.
The Imo NUJ stakeholders further expressed dismay and embarrassment that the present National leadership of NUJ having been sponsored by their agents here in Imo State has concluded and hatched a dangerous plot to sell or lease out to members of the public in Imo NUJ secretariat located along Port Harcourt road Owerri for the sum of N300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) without the knowledge and consent of Imo journalists.
The statement continued thus; “that we, Imo journalists condemn and disown all those concerned for being used to destabilize Imo NUJ, and we therefore call them days dreamers, as Imo journalists have disassociated themselves from such plot and also warn members of the public not to allow themselves to be swindled by the desperate leadership of Christopher Akaraonye, who no longer has any stake in Imo NUJ, having retired from Imo civil service since 2015, as a photographer.
That we call on all journalists in the state to sanction the dissidents for unlawfully and unconstitutionally attempting to throw into jeopardy the practice of journalism in Imo State. We also call on all practicing journalists that all hands must be on deck, as had I known always comes at last.
That we condemn the activities of the National leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by Deacon Chris Isiguzo, who has abdicated his National duties and rather busy instigating crisis in Imo NUJ council.
We call on His Excellency, Senator Hope Odidika Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State, the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy to please come to our aid and call these impostors to order so as to forestall imminent breach of the public peace by their continued stay in office albeit arrogantly.
We also call on the security agencies in the state, the Nigerian Police, DSS, NSCDC to take note of our complaint and the activities of all the people concerned.
Finally, we call on all practicing journalists in the state to remain vigilant, resolute and avoid acts capable of portraying the union as non-conformists and deviants as presently associated with Deacon Chris Isiguzo and Christopher Akaraonye”.
