Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Chapter, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, has promised to sustain his integrity drive in the union.
Dr. Akinreti made this promise at the weekend when he led his team to campaign at the Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos Secretariat of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN).
During the campaign visit solicited for the crime reporters to give him their votes in the State Council election scheduled to hold on September 29.
Akinreti, who is vying for a second tenure in office, met with top executives and members of CRAN in company with some aspirants seeking various offices to seek the support of their members to clinch victory so as to take the union to a greater height.
The Voice of Nigeria deputy director urged all and sundry to discountenance all the campaign of calumny being perpetrated by his opponents against him as they are false.
This was in response to the concerns raised by CRAN members who took him up on issues raised against him in respect of the Abaren Land project, and other burning issues.
Akinreti reeled out his past achievements and future plans and urged journalists to make a choice between him and his contender, Mr. Adeleye Ajayi.
He explained that the upcoming election would be a paradigm shift from the old way to a new way of doing things.
According to him: “This present Exco did not tamper with previous allocations. My predecessors fell short of record-keeping and that brought about the crisis that trailed the Abaren Land project and the NUJ Light House. Former Chairmen Deji Elumoye has repaid N2 million to the council and the Estate Manager had also promised to repay the remaining N9 million in installments. We were given money for renovations by the Former Governor of Lagos State which we used judiciously. We are concerned about the welfare of our members. We have started a project to start our Radio station and we have revived our Newspapers. Who is going to work in our Radio station and other places we are reorganizing?” He concluded.
Chairman of CRAN, Mr. Odita Sunday, in his remarks, advised all practicing journalists to register in order to be eligible to vote in the Union’s election.
Mr. Odita further admonished all electorates to align with the best candidate of their choice.
“We also need you to be informed on areas to focus on in the next administration and you also have to use the medium to correct the allegations, he said.
Those on the campaign train with Dr. Akinreti were other aspirants for the post of Financial Secretary and Secretary respectively, Mrs. Iyabo Wale-Eri, and Mr. Raymond Tedunjaye.
Others are Mrs. Barbara Negbeje, David Adekunle, Mr. Nduka Uzuakwu, Bose Agosu, Mr. Fibian Anawo and Mr. Muyiwa Kalejaiye.
