By Ifeyinwa Ogwo :
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Anambra State, Dr. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, has vowed to bring international recognition to the union, digitalize its secretariat, and enhance members’ welfare if re-elected on Friday, January 24, 2025.
Dr. Odogwu made this promise during a visit with his campaign team to the State Information Chapel at the Situation Room of the Ministry of Information, located at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat in Awka.
He urged the members of the State Information Chapel to support his re-election bid as Chairman and to vote for Chibuzor Obidike as Treasurer, as well as other candidates emerging from the chapel. He emphasized his commitment to collaborating with the chapel.
“I am a product of your chapel because it was here that I first received sponsorship for my re-election form. When I took over as the NUJ chairman, there were no funds to run the union. We sought out financial resources, and all the money we raised was judiciously spent. We settled our debts with those we borrowed from to organize our events,” he said.
“I personally fought the issues surrounding the National Light to ensure that employees there were absorbed into the state civil service. I apologize to anyone I may have offended while carrying out my duties,” he added.
Dr. Ifeanyi Obiefuna, Director General of Dr. Odogwu’s campaign team, expressed gratitude to the members of the State Information Chapel for their warm welcome. He described their candidates as individuals of integrity, charisma, and vision, capable of attracting international recognition.
“Dr. Odogwu has made a significant impact on the union, and if re-elected, he will accomplish even more. You can attest to the fact that he took 12 journalists to Ghana for training, secured a brand-new bus for the union, and initiated several dynamic activities,” he stated.
Additionally, the Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Anambra State, Comrade Toochukwu Ifejika, along with Comrade Chibuzor Obidike, appealed to the members of the State Information Chapel for widespread support, promising to work together to elevate the union to greater heights.
Earlier, Dr. Stanley Onunkwo, Chairman of the State Information Chapel and head of the NUJ electoral committee, welcomed the campaign team. He explained that the chapel consists of three sectors: Information-Information, ABS-Information, and National Light-Information.
“Don’t focus on the number of attendees today; I’ve informed our members, especially those in the local government, to ensure they come out in large numbers on Friday to cast their votes if they cannot attend today,” he explained.
He also highlighted that two members, Grace Onwukwe and Chinyere Ogbuagu, are vying for the positions of Financial Secretary and Vice Secretary, respectively, and encouraged cooperation with them if they win the upcoming elections.
On a final note, he reminded everyone that campaigning ends on Wednesday, January 21, 2025, at 11:59 PM.
Uche Kalu thanked Dr. Odogwu for his efforts in getting them absorbed into the state civil service, while Mike Ezewanta suggested that he critically review all the allegations made against him on the NUJ WhatsApp platform to identify areas for improvement.
