….Posits: Union’s office not den of hoodlums.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists,NUJ, Imo State Council has debunked a report emanating from a press conference held few days ago in Owerri by an unknown group going by the name, Greater Imo Initiative ,GII, which alleged that some Journalists were beaten at the Council’s Press Centre during a media briefing with the the member representing Ideato nation at the National Assembly,Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu.
The Imo NUJ while refuting the said press conference, described it as mother of all lies coming from an unknown disgruntled group seeking undeserved recognition and trying to pitch the Union against the highly respected Lawmaker.
In a Press statement, tagged , Shameless And Reckless Assault On Imo NUJ, jointly signed by the State Council Chairman, Precious Nwadike and the Head of the Press Centre management Committee Austin Agwulonu , it noted that it is both outrageous and incomprehensible that a questionable gang of hustlers bearing the said caricature name would decide to dance naked along Douglas Road, exposing itself as a body lacking in both substance and credibility.
The Imo NUJ leadership,led by Comr.Precious Nwadike maintained that the so-called Press conference by one Ethelbert Nnanna was riddled with sickening distortions and fallacious assumptions, accused him of
attempting to misinform the public and by so doing expose his social status as failed politician and social misfit.
“GII recklessly averred that the secretariat of the Imo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ,NUJ, was attacked by thugs, resulting in injuries and vandalism. These are blatant, satanic falsehoods, wholly fabricated by the said Nnanna’s handlers…
“The last time any semblance of misunderstanding was experienced at the NUJ secretariat was last year,2024 when thugs loyal to the information commissioner led by one Ifeanyi Nwanguma invaded the NUJ secretariat ,PH Road, Owerri in a bid to vandalized the Union’s properties before completing their illegal sale of the Union’s secretariat”, the release stated.
In the Press statement, the Union leadership further asserted that the purported press conference was sponsored by some elements who are still nursing the pain of the failed attempt to sell the Union’s Secretariat but were legally stopped by genuine Journalists in the state,who vehemently resisted them in the court.
“Ethelbert Nnanna through the fatuous GII allowed children, young enough to be his political proteges, to drag him by the balls into the Market Square and set him up for the worst political misadventure of his washed up career when he falsely and drunkenly claimed that our revered and legitimate NUJ Secretariat was voluntarily handed over to the Imo State Government after being given a befitting new complex.”
“And the question is: At what point did Governor Hope Uzodinma donate a new secretariat to Imo NUJ?
If Nnanna meant ex-governor Rochas Okorocha, then he needs to explain at which point or forum, a trade by barter agreement was reached with the Imo State Government under Okorocha.
Imagine donating a 3-plot property to takeover a 6-plot complex!”,the release further stated.
The Union leadership added that the Council has observed desperate
efforts by what it described as shady individuals hiding under the Government and dropping the name of Governor Uzodinma in their personal bid to grab and sell off the NUJ Secretariat.
The Union made it clear that Uzodinma is not known for property speculation, so why would he start with the NUJ secretariat if not that some hideous and selfish characters are seeking to use the paraphernalia of government to grab a choice property, regardless of the moral backlash on Government and Governor of the State.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did the executive or members of Imo NUJ hand over our Secretariat — which remains the best in the South East and one of the most prestigious in Nigeria to Imo State Government.
“The facts are clear: a criminal cabal within our midst, acting without the consent of the body of journalists in the state, attempted to illegally sell our complex because they have a few friends in Government.
“The congress of Imo NUJ rejected this illegality, and a court of competent jurisdiction nullified the fraudulent sale. The court further voided all related actions, including the imposition that brought in one Christopher Akaraonye and subsequently an Ifeanyi Nwanguma.
All their actions, the court ruled, were orchestrated in illegality and therefore rendered null and void.” the union hinted.
The Council, according to the press release, pointed out that the failure of the sell of the Council Press Centre by those it described as morally challenged individuals, now congregating with rehabilitation seeking politicians under the guise of GII, have resorted to blackmail and lies; creating mendacious Nollywood scenarios just to undermine the legitimacy of the secretariat.
The union leadership further stated that the recent attempt is a direct assault on the integrity of competent judicial pronouncements and desperate attempt to drag the union through the mud, asserting that inviting
Government to take over the Secretariat affirmed their grand plan, which they had harboured for upwards of seven (7 ) years now.
“What they could not get legitimately through the process of law, they now seek to emotionally manipulate Governor Uzodinma into the impunitious overreach of taking over a property lawfully owned by Imo journalists!
The call is not just idiotic, but also shows how far the conspirators plotting to illegally sell the NUJ secretariat in the last seven years, are willing to go, just to bag the ₦400 million they have agreed with their unfortunate buyer.
“The Imo NUJ secretariat,at Port Harcourt Road, is NOT FOR SALE , not even to the highest bidder.
Our Secretariat is also, not a criminal den, contrary to the wicked assertions of the foul-minded Ethelbert Nnanna!
It is a case of ,the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob”, the union declared.
The Council leadership further hinted that land grabbers who saw opportunity in alleged government-funded press conference, infused their personal project of capturing the NUJ property into a conference text that was only supposed to douse the political questions of accountability being asked by some opposition politicians named in the press conference.
The union also stated that referring their secretariat as the ,old NUJ Secretariat, is a display of ignorance tending towards putrid mischief.
The Imo NUJ leadership used the medium to call on the Governor to completely ignore the manipulative and destructive antics of what it termed mixed multitude of corrupt bedfellows and their misguided catcalls over the union Secretariat located at Port Harcourt Road, Owerri.
The union reiterated that it represent the authentic professional body of journalists in Imo State, comprising correspondents of major national dailies and the vast majority of Imo-based journalists and publishers charged with the vision to uphold the highest ethical standard in journalism, promoting truth, justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
