The incumbent chairman of Rivers State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Mr. Opaka Doukbo of Tide Newspaper chapel, has been re-elected as chairman of the union.
The election and inauguration ceremony took place at the Delta Hotels, Port Harcourt during the 5th Triennial Delegate Conference of the Rivers council of NUJ.
Mr. Dokubo polled 211 votes out of 279 votes cast, in a kinly contested election, defeated his opponent, Mr. Baridon Sika, the former vice chairman of the Union from Radio Rivers chapel, who scored 83 votes. Mr. Stanley Job Stanley, the incumbent secretary of the Union of Radio Rivers Chapel, scored 179 votes to defeat his opponent, Mr. Jim Odede Opiki of Independent Monitor who scored 110 votes, to retain his Secretary position. Mr. Anayo Onukwugha of Federated chapel, in the team of Opaka Dokubo who contested for Assistant secretary, defeated Mr. Boye Salami of Tide Chapel with 186 votes to 105 votes.
Similarly a member of the team of Opaka Dokubo, Uche Agbam, the incumbent Treasurer of the Union of RSTV, polled 194 votes against her opponent Mr. OkeChukwu Maru of information who scored 94 votes. A total of 26 votes were void.
Those elected unopposed were, Mr. Ayo Tamuno, Information chapel, Vice Chairman, Mr. Barth Ndubuwa, Weekly Watch chapel, Financial Secretary, and Mr. Collins Barasimeye, Tide chapel, Internal Auditor.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Opaka Dokubo thanked members of the state NUJ for the mandate given him and other members of the new executive, stressing that his last three years administration was successful due to their cooperation and thanked them for the gesture.
He called on those who lost at the election to join the new executive and cooperate with them to move the union forward, adding that he would carry them along in the scheme of things.
Meanwhile Mr. Baridom Sika, the chairmanship aspirant who lost at the election has congratulated Mr. Opaka Dokubo and the members of the new executive.
Sika gave the congratulation shortly after the election and inauguration of the new executive at Delta Hotels in Port Harcourt.
Opaka Dokubo who also swore in the new executives charged them to be their brother’s keeper and serve the union.
The highlight of the ceremony was the dissolution of the past executive, presentation of reports of the last executives by the chairman, secretary and financial secretary as well as lecture on “Attaining Journalism Excellence In A Democracy Like Nigeria” by Amaopu Senibo, Bobo Brown. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
