It has been revealed that the former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha’s proxy who is claiming to have bought the multimillion naira secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo State Council, is funding charlatans who parade themselves as NUJ members to destabilize the union with a view to scuttling the union’s resistance against his alleged fraudulent and ill-conceived bid.
A source close to the seat of power in the state who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that, “a company named, Anedo Nigeria Limited which was presented as a front in the purported sale of the secretariat, is worried about the doggedness of media practioners in the state, who have vehemently resisted their attempt to appropriate the union’s secretariat and its appurtenances, has resorted to funding miscreants who now claim to be celebrating a non existent Press week in connivance with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba”.
“Recall, that Imo NUJ had earlier accused Emelumba of working closely with these elements who attempted to sell the secretariat that was donated to the union during the former Military Administrator, Amadi Ikwechegh’s administration”.
The source also alleged that Emelumba struck a deal with the arrow heads of the fraudulent sale of the secretariat, in alliance with the then Deputy National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Chris Isiguzo, who also allegedly collected money from former Governor Okorocha to fund his electioneering campaign for the office of National President of NUJ”.
It was also alleged that they used a publisher who reportedly ran away from his Abia State ancestral home after committing incest to give impetus to their fraudulent agenda. The Publisher who is said to come from the same Local Government Area with Isiguzo is said to have collected part of the deposit paid by those who intended to fraudulently appropriate the secretariat”.
Further investigation reveals that the leadership of Imo NUJ is not relenting in its effort to ensure that the union’s property is not hijacked, or appropriated by impostors who have no stake in the union.
