The Southeast zone of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has chided recent alarm by one Petrus Obi that the triennial delegates conference of the union scheduled to hold in Abia state, would not be safe.
ASHENEWS recalls that Obi had claimed that the observation was made during a meeting of the leadership of Northern states councils, that the choice of Abia was wrong for security reasons.
ASHENEWS inquiries to confirm from chairmen and secretaries of councils in Northern states reveal that there was no such meeting.
“How could we agree at the apex decision making body of the union to hold the conference in the willing state, in this case, Abia and come to our various states to give excuses? No there was no such meeting,” one of the Council chairmen told ASHENEWS.
Also describing the claim as” mischievous, unnecessary and false,” the zonal working committee in a statement said, “This red herring is the usual stock in trade of embattled Obi, who has remained recalcitrant to all peace overtures all aimed at giving him a soft landing following his suspension as Vice President Zone C, by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Union.”
The statement was signed by Comrade Kenneth Ofoma, Secretary Zone C; Sir Innocent Igwe, National Trustee, Zone C; Ezeogo Boniface Okoro, National Ex-Offio Zone C; Rex Arum, Chairman Enugu Council; Tony Nwizi, Chairman Ebonyi Council; Victor Ndukwe, Chairman Abia Council; Chief Chris Akaraonye, Chairman Imo Council; Francis Ekpone, Acting Chairman Anambra Council; Emma Udeagha, Secretary Anambra Council; Adaeze Ralph-Igbokwe, Abia Secretary; Amaka Agbo, Enugu Secretary; Nnamdi Akpa, Secretary Ebonyi Council and Juliet Dim, Imo Secretary.
According to it, with the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, which institution should be a most protected one, no part of the country could be said to be safe.
Read the statement below:
It has come to the knowledge of Zonal Working Committee of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zone C (South East) of a mischievous, unnecessary and false alarm raised by Petrus Obi purporting that South East region of Nigeria is not safe to host the 7th triennial delegates conference of NUJ slated for 4th October, 2021 at Umuahia, Abia State.
This red herring is the usual stock in trade of embattled Obi, who has remained recalcitrant to all peace overtures all aimed at giving him a soft landing following his suspension as Vice President Zone C, by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Union.
The zonal leadership (Zone C) of the Union unanimously disclaim Obi, a lone ranger on a failed mission to cause panic and sow fear in the minds of NUJ members and delegates to the coming Triennial Delegates Conference, just in the name of playing politics.
The reality on ground is that South East is relatively peaceful and safe, and can conveniently host the delegates conference, even as it is a notorious fact that no region or part of the country is immune to insecurity today.
The fact that even the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, a place considered as a security fortress could be invaded by bandits, early hours of Tuesday August 23, 2021, kill officers and kidnap some, is a shouting testimony that no place is safe in the country today.
To further buttress this point, the same early hours of Tuesday, a police Commander of IGP squad was killed alongside other police personnel and civilians in Plateau state by gun men.
Also, even the nation’s federal capital territory (Abuja) has increasingly come under security threats in recent time with no day passing without a resident, including security personnel (Police, Immigration, Civil Defence etc) being kidnapped and others being killed.
It is also a well known fact that the federal government is doing its best to stem the growing insecurity in the country.
We are therefore at a loss why Petrus Obi and his co-travellers would want to make a heavy weather out of the security situation in the South East in isolation to other security challenges across the country.
We use this opportunity to call on NUJ members and the general public to ignore and discountenance Petrus Obi. Umuahia, Abia State and South East in general is as safe, if not safer than some parts of the country and ready to host the triennial delegates conference.
By the grace of God, we assure members and delegates that every measure will be put in place to guarantee the their safety before, during and after the conference within Umuahia and South East in general.
