Governor Hope Uzodinma and the PDP governorship candidate in the November 11th governorship election in the State, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu has congratulated the Correspondent of Vanguard in Imo State, Mr Chinonso Alozie on his election as the new Chairman of Correspondents’ Chapel in the State.
Alozie emerged as Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Imo State Council in a keenly contested election to replace the former Chairman, Mr Chris Njoku of The Nation.
Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr Peter Okolie of the News Agency of Nigeria said that Mr. Alozie polled the highest number of votes in a transparent exercise where the NUJ in Imo State, represented by the Secretary, Mrs Treasure Ihechi-Nwamah, monitored the conduct of the election.
Mr. Alozie scored 20 votes to beat Mrs Angela Nkwo-Akpolu of the Leadership who scored 11 votes.
The new Chairman emerged alongside five other officials, most of whom were returned unopposed.
They include Mr Sabi Elemba of the Business Day who defeated Mrs Charity Wins of the Daily Asset with 20 votes against 11 to emerge Treasurer of the Chapel.
Others elected were Mr Collins Osuji (The Guardian) as Vice Chairman; Mr. Victor Nwachukwu (News Agency of Nigeria) as Secretary; Mr. Oliver Joseph (Arise Television) as Financial Secretary and Mr. Basil Ukwuegbu (National Light) as Internal Auditor.
In a statement issued in Owerri Friday by Oguwike Nwachuku, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Governor Uzodimma, he expressed joy for Mr Alozie to have emerged Chairman from a process that was transparent, competitive and represented the collective wish of his colleagues.
He admonished the new Chairman to work hard to uphold the integrity and ethics of his profession and to ensure that he leaves no stone unturned in working in synergy with his colleagues to achieve the desired goal of serving the public well, including their State of domicile.
The Governor however thanked the former executive members for their commitment to the course of their profession in Imo State and advised them to support the new executive where necessary.
He assured the new executive of his willingness to always support the media in their quest to mirror and serve society positively and urged all practitioners in the State to see the emphasis on development journalism as the new code to help the public.
Uzodimma further advised Mr. Alozie to be magnanimous in victory by carrying everyone along, including those who contested the same position as him.
Similarly, in a statement issued in Owerri on Friday by the Special Adviser to the PDP National Secretary, (Media) Comrade Ikenna Onuoha, Sen. Anyanwu commended the Correspondent’s chapel for successful poll, he also congratulated Alozie, and other elected executives for emerging victorious
He applauded Imo State Correspondents’ Chapel led by Mr Chris Njoku for conducting a widely rated freest and fairest election where highly trained Journalists emerged as winners.
He however charged those who could not make it to victory perhaps, due to leadership arrangement of the chapel to support the winners to be able to achieve a common goal, appealing to them to work in synergy and in love with the new leadership for optimal productivity.
Anyanwu, while describing Journalists as critical stakeholders in society, also enjoined the new leadership under Comrade Alozie to carry every member of the Correspondents along so as to proffer lasting solutions to our country’s lingering political, economic, and social challenges.
He, therefore, admonishes Journalists and Imo citizens not to allow the present economic situation in the country to deter them from realizing their objectives in life, adding that by being fervent, trustworthy, meticulous, and determined; the current challenges will be a thing of the past.