Ella
by Charity NNOCHIRI

As the  National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Tuesday released the final list of candidates for  the 2015 election for  FCT council elections, more chapels are falling over themselves to endorse Mr Paul Ella, one of the chairmanship candidates

With this development, Mr Ella, an Assistant Editor with the African Ledership Magazine has emerged the clear favourite for the election slated for Oct. 3.

Ella had  today interacted with Executives and members of the Senate and House of Representatives Press Corps respectively at the National Assembly. And also met with leaders and members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN

Members who spoke at the events described Ella as the 'Fresh Face' who would bring dignity and respect to the NUJ FCT Council which in the last three years has been in the doldrums.

Journallists during the interactive session lamented  the fact that the three years of  Chucks Ehirim, (chairman) and Emma Ogbeche (Secretary) leadership of the FCT Council had been display of  unaccountabillity, adminstrative and managerial sloppiness and contempt for membership welfare.

Members of the two National Assembly Press Corps majority of whom belongs to the Correspondent Chapel, bemoaned the fact the Ehirim and Ogbeche for the three years not only emptied the FCT Council purse, they equally misappropriated the N.5 million paid into the Council account for the Chapel, and have even as they are running for office failed to account for the money.

''Rather than running to be returned as Chairman, Ehirim should bow out in shame,  he has shown untrustworthiness and sluggish managerial skills, certainly he has nothing to offer the FCT Council.

''As for Ogbeche who wants to displace Ehirim, he possesses  in double, the negative traits of Ehirim, we remember how he rigged himself into office during the last election, besides lying on oath.'' says Miss Alheri Dogo.

In a related development, the Chairman, Credentials Committee for the upcoming election, Mr Akin Orimolade of NewsWatch Times, told  the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that the National Secretariat of the NUJ has  released the final list after  considering  the petitions of some aspirants who had earlier been disqualified by the committee.

According to him, National Secretariat cleared three candidates for the position of chairman.

``Those cleared are the current Chairman of the council, Mr Chuks Ehirim, the council Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche and Mr Paul Ella of African Leadership Magazine.’’

He said that Mrs Blessing Adewole of Daily Independent, who had earlier been disqualified by the committee, was later cleared by the national body to contest for the position of Treasurer, as it was found that she had held a position at the chapel level as stipulated by the constitution.

NAN recalls that the committee had on Sept. 17 disqualified Adewole, Mr Emeka Nzeh, Mr Martins Odeh of NAN and Mrs Uche Chutta of the Federal Ministry of Information, after the screening of prospective aspirants.

However, Odeh and others who were not cleared had petitioned the national headquarters of the NUJ contesting their disqualification.

Reacting to his disqualification, Odeh said the outgoing executive of council failed to call congress as required by the constitution.

“The council executive members have failed to show due diligence in the manner they have conducted congresses during this three-year tenure and therefore, lack the equity to instruct the Credential Committee to disqualify candidates on that basis,” he said.

NAN recalls that the committee was inaugurated on Aug. 29, 2015. (NAN)