Bayelsa Nuj Elections: Why journalists want to vote Angese

                                        By Austin  Genesis

 Certainly it is an indisputable fact that the task of piloting the affairs  of an organization  to achieve  its aims and objectives effectively and efficiently is meant for those  who possess exemplary leadership  qualities,  visionary acumen, wealth of experience as well as impeccable character with deep understanding of the yearnings and the aspirations of members devoid of egocentric tendencies to amass wealth at the expense of its members.

Comrade John Angese, Bayelsa NUJ State Chairman

   Also it's a truism that the law of personal effectiveness, sacrifice, integrity, optimism among others is some of the prerequisites needed for good leadership.

   Regrettably, over the years many organizations have failed to achieve their primary aims and objectives because of the type of leaders put in place to pilot their affairs.

Obviously, it is an undeniable fact that the office of the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as a Professional body of the noble pen profession is not destined for the inexperienced, impostors and cowards  whose motives for aspiring to occupy the position is borne out of sectional and egocentric desire  to amass wealth  and cause disaffection and segregation among the members.

   Days have gone when some members sponsor thugs and embark on ill-motivated tendencies to hijack the mandate of the leadership of the union for the benefit of sectional interest and denied members their welfare.

It is interesting to note that today members have realized that elective positions of the union are preordained for only those who have indelible and enviable track records as well as the welfare of members above personal gains.

  Borne out of the intent to achieve personal gains it would be recalled that some of those who occupied positions of trust in the union of late could not make tangible achievements.

   It is against this backdrop that when a date was rescheduled for the Bayelsa NUJ triennial conference, members of the different chapels of the union have x-rayed the various candidates aspiring for the position of the state chairman.

   Checks revealed that a cross section of the chapels resolved to vote massively for Mr John Angese, the incumbent state chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists Bayelsa State Council because of his enviable track record and high level of performance for the past three years.

  Members noted with pleasure that for the past three years Comrade Angese has demonstrated unparalleled exemplary visionary leadership with wealth of experience thus fulfilling his electioneering promises to members which includes upliftment of the welfare of members as well training and retraining of members.

   They described Mr Angese as a pace setter and a man embodied with the eight principles of public life who administered the affairs of the union effectively and efficiently with wisdom for the corporate benefits of members believing that if given back the mandate he will do more and perform better than the first tenure to enhance the socio-economic well being of members.

   The massive support for the candidacy of Mr Angese was also attributed to his outstanding leadership qualities, his outspokenness, boldness, generosity, accessibility and reliability, added to the importance he attached to the welfare of members above personal considerations as well as effective representation of the state council at the national level of the union.

   Members noted with enthusiasm that in a society where most union leaders are engrossed with unquenchable appetite for wealth and material acquisition at the detriment of members, Mr  Angese as an astute leader of proven integrity adhered strictly to the moral laws of unionism based on honesty, goodness, righteousness and consideration of the interest of others in all ramifications.

   According to them, he has demonstrated himself as a true servant of the members of the union through humility, courage and boldness to defend the rights of members at any time without complains.

   A cross section of the members also maintained that their acceptability of the candidature of Angese for a second term is also the fact that his leadership has promoted unity among members, except perhaps those who have ulterior motives to cause disaffection in the union to achieve their inordinate agenda.

   The members pointed out that it is commendable to note that despite the fact that he met empty treasury when he came into office with the economic recession in the country, he was able to spend N800,000 for the welfare of members, trained about 253 journalists across the various chapels on human capital development to rebuild, re-orientate and reawaken hidden potentials.

   Members also note that Mr Angese has striven to ensure regular payment of union worker’s salaries, maintained the water system in council secretariat, vehicles and strengthened the bond of relationship between the state government and the union.

   Under his tenure through his foresight he liaised with the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board to train 50 journalists of the state.

   They also commended him for dispensing   a court case he inherited from the previous administration as well as providing a new generator for the union and also resuscitated the moribund Cat Generator, adding to his purchase of 50 inches television sets and successful organization of the Press Week through the help of the state government.

   The administration of Mr Angese, they said has also constructed the road at the entrance of NUJ gate to make free passage of vehicles without hitches.

   On the perennial over flooding at NUJ premises, they extolled the steps so far taken by him to draw the Restoration Government led by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson to see the situation and expressed optimism that when given the mandate he would pursue the matter vigorously to find a lasting solution. He runs an all inclusive government that carries all members along without sentiments and discrimination.

    From the foregoing amongst other achievements he had recorded they stated emphatically that Mr John Angese deserves a second tenure and they will unanimously return him unopposed on November 1, 2018 NUJ Chairmanship election.

   It would be recalled that during the formal declaration of Mr John Angese to contest for a second tenure which was well attended by personalities from different walks of life and a cross section of members from the various chapels of the union, the General Manager of the Bayelsa State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Alfred Egbegi who chaired the event, said he accepted to chair the occasion when he received the invitation because of John Angese exceptional performance.

   According to him, the incumbent chairman deserves a second tenure and appealed to the members of the union to vote massively for him to consolidate on the gains he has achieved.

   He also used the forum to appeal to the candidates not to see the election as a do or die affair to sustain the unity of members.

   Also in her goodwill messages, the Desk Editor of the State Ministry of Information and Orientation,  Mrs Florence Ebi Kakandor who served as Mother of the Day said that there is no perfect human being, adding that Mr John Angese has proved beyond  reasonable doubt  to be voted  for a second tenure because of his purposeful, pragmatic and commendable leadership  exhibited for the past three years.

   Acknowledging  his enviable performance, Mrs Kakander averred that a vote for him is a vote to move the union in the state forward, stressing that the other candidates are friends as well  but members should unanimously vote for him.

   Mrs Kakander also advised him to carry the losers along in his administration after the election.

  Also in his goodwill message, Comrade Seiyefa Abraham Uzaka, a Director for Enlightenment in State Ministry of Information and Orientation advised the candidates for the election to shun blackmail and calumny during their campaigns noting that in every election there must be a winner or loser.

   Also in her speech, the Editor in Chief of the New Waves,  Peace Sinclair endorsed Mr John Angese for second tenure saying that he has performed creditably well in the past three years.

   In his remarks at the occasion, Mr Kola Oredipe, the Director General of Samuel Numonengi Unity Organisation urged journalists to see themselves as members of an inseparable entity adding that whoever that emerged as winner of the election, all should support to move the union forward.

   Earlier in his formal declaration, Mr John Angese had said that he has performed excellently well for the past three years and deserves for a second tenure in line with the provisions of the NUJ constitution and called on all and sundry to give him a second chance to serve.

   He averred that he came into office when nothing was left in the purse of the union but he has worked assiduously to actualize his election promises to members.

   The NUJ chairman observed that he was loved by majority of the members and commended them for the maximum support accorded to his administration during the first tenure and urged them to sustain the tempo

   On his development agenda for his second term bid, Mr Angese stated that he would concentrate on two point agenda which bothered on the welfare of members as well as training and retraining of members which he described as the cardinal objective of unionism.

   According to him, he would also strengthen the existing harmonious relationship between the state government and the union as well as work fervently to plead with the state government to reinstate it's support for indigenous newspaper publishers in view of their active role in societal development and elaborate propagation of the policies and programmes of government to the  heterogeneous public.

   He reiterated his determination and commitment to carry all members along in his administration if given the mandate, stressing that he would continue to defend the rights of members, embark on programmes that would continue to give members sense of belonging.

   Mr Angese used the forum to commend the present administration of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, Corporate Organizations and individuals for their selfless support to the union.