A’Ibom NUJ Sets Up 5-Man Credentials Committee For Council Elections

UYO

A five-man Credentials Committee chaired by Comrade Akaninyene Esinwang of The Pioneer Chapel, has been inaugurated by the chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom Council, Comrade Amos Etuk, to conduct election into the seven offices in the union come Tuesday, August 2.

 Other members of the committee are Manasseh Umoette, Ima Dem, Sunday Bassey and Iniobong Etuk.

 This was contained in a nine-point communiqué reached at the congress, weekend.

 The union, in one of the issues raised in the communiqué, condemned without reservation the attack on Comrade Harrison Essien of Akwa Ibom  Broadcasting Corporation, (AKBC), by DSP Ezra Yuguda, Commandant, Government House, at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Uyo, two weeks ago. 

 A formal petition on the attack, it was learnt, had been sent to the Akwa Ibom Police Command by the union, demanding the removal of Yuguda from his duty post in Government House, an apology and compensation for Essien by the police officer or a legal action will be brought against him.

 While commending Comrade Edem Okon for winning the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award, the union also congratulated Comrades Roseline Etukudo, Gabriel Ekaidem, Nse Ebieme, and Emem Gbenga, for their appointments as directors in the Local Government Service. 

 Other issues of concern contained in the communiqué, included a call on state lawmakers to support local government autonomy, and a demand for the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) to arrest the worsening power situation in Uyo Metropolis or face a campaign against it by the union. 

 The union also condemned the resurging wave of kidnappings in the state and urged security agencies to step up their game. 

  The union congratulated two of its members, Otuekong Ekong Sampson and Mr Itoro Columba, for their victories at the PDP primaries for Akwa Ibom South (Eket) Senatorial District and Ikono State Constituency, respectively, describing their emergence as highly desirable political developments for the union. 

 The union also condemned the indiscriminate issuance of press tags to non-journalists to cover government and political parties’ events, describing the practice as embarrassing to its members.

 The communiqué, which was signed by Comrade Etuk; state secretary, Comrade Dominic Akpan; as well as members of the committee, Comrades Roseline Etukudo, Uwem Ekoh and Stella Ita, called on contractors handling Ring Roads 2 and 3 to increase their work speed and place diversion signs at appropriate distances to inform motorists ahead, stating that this would reduce accidents on those roads.