Following the closure of the guest house of Imo NUJ secretariat located along Port Harcourt Road and commencement of renovation of the multi-million Naira complex, the duo of Mr Innocent Akaraonye, the retired photographer with Ministry of Information and one Mr Francis Ebonugwu, former Caretaker Committee Chairman who failed to conduct NUJ Election in 2018 were yesterday seen at the Port Harcourt Road secretariat stranded.
They were said to be visibly angry that the guest house which they allegedly converted to a brothel and yielded slush fund for them has been shut down for renovation.
According to an eyewitness account, they had come to collect money from the manager of the guest house but were disappointed that the union has begun renovation of the complex.
It would be recalled that the Union had on the 16th of June 2021 flagged off the renovation of the NUJ Port Harcourt Road secretariat. This was followed by a congress where after considering reports of illicit activities of some past leaders of the Union in the Guesthouse, resolved to close the guest house and have since begun the renovation of the complex.
Akaraonye was said to have hidden the Union’s official vehicle which he cornered to himself through Innocent Igwe, the former Chairman who this reporter also gathered is still in the possession of a jeep belonging to the union.
The caretaker committee as part of its mandate is to recover every property of the union of which the Hummer bus now in the custody of Akaraonye is among. Sensing danger, the retired photographer now goes around in public or private vehicles as he believes that the police may one day impound the vehicle.
