Controversy trails upcoming Anambra State NUJ election

 

By O'star Eze

It has been a potpourri of allegations and counter allegations since the date for the election of new executive members of the Anambra State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists was announced. The icing on the brouhaha was the allegation by the Comrade Ngozika Obileri camp interested in changing the leadership of the union, that the former Chairman, Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu was autocratic and had mismanaged the unions funds running into over 23 million naira. 

According to the allegation which was published on the WhatsApp group of the NUJ, Anambra State, the chairman, Emeka Odogwu, who was gunning for another tenure in office, allegedly used his private bank account as well as those of his wife and Personal Aide, one Felix Oti to receive monies meant for the union and has not been able to give proper account of same.

The allegations captioned, 'Sins of Odogwu', read thus:

1. Odogwu uses private account to run the affairs of the union whereas we have three accounts. (Two in UBA 1006719309 and 1024874804, and one Zenith 1226716405) Eg Felix Oti account was given to chapels like Angel Network News, Moment FM and Correspondents chapels to make payments for professional dues, practicing fees and check off dues, without recourse to the union accounts.

2. Misappropriation of funds and diversion of same into his personal use using: Felix Oti (Zenith) 2008345082; Obialunanma Esther Odogwu (Zenith) 2080729772; Ikechukwu Odogwu (First Bank) 3153431543 and Nice Microfinance Bank. Felix is his personal assistant, Esther is his wife, Ikechukwu his brother and Nice Microfinance Bank his personal account).

3. For the past three years, the total amount spent singlehandedly by Odogwu for Man of the Year/ Press Week is #23,000,000 (23million naira). Members of the SWC never made any inputs to it, and more than 75% of it were diverted into his personal use, using No 2 above.

4. On 16/11/23, #5,400,000 was paid into Felix Oti (Zenith) 2008345082 for Overhead Tank and Commission. The Overhead tank was executed without adhering to Tenders & Bidding Committee recommendation. Again, the money was much more that what the bidders tendered.

5. Between October and November 2024, a total of #10.8m was withdrawn from our Zenith Bank account for Press Week and Man of the Year 2024. #4.1m out of it went for Commissions. The question then is, how much did we realise that made us to give #4.1m commission? Note: 20% Commision is our rule for any fund attracted to the council.

6. He does not defend his expenditure before the SWC.

7. He is too authocratic to be a leader.

Efforts to reach Odogwu Emeka Odogwu to respond these allegations proved abortive. However, a pro Odogwu member of the NUJ who spoke to factreporters.com.ng described those making the allegations as jesters. Speaking on the basis of anonymity, he stated that the Anambra State NUJ fared well under the leadership of Emeka Odogwu and that there were many activities that were held by the union, more activities that any other tenure had been able to actualise. In his words, "Those making these lame allegations cannot perform half as creditably as Odogwu Emeka did. They had written a petition to the National Body and the electoral committee seeking for how to discredit Odogwu's candidacy so they will emerge unopposed but their petitions hit the rock as they hold no water. Odogwu took the NUJ to greater heights and this was why 5 chapels contributed money to pay for his reelection bid form, and coerced him to contest again, even when he was not willing to go again. 

"The NUJ was owing the National Body over 2 million naira when Odogwu assumed office and several projects that were carried out through the 3 years he was chairman were done with borrowed money which made it that when money was realised, they were paid back. That explains the said accounts they were referring to."

Factreporters.com.ng gathered that the election has been slated for Friday, January 24, 2025 at the Godwin Ezeemo Press Centre. It is still unclear if the election will still hold or not.