From Joshua Chibuzo Andrew
Comrade Precious Nwadike Led NUJ chapter in Imo State have condemned that approach through which the former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba is seeking for re-appointment in the Office.
This was made available to Impartial Observers in a Press Statement signed by the Chairman, Nwadike Precious and Martins Ori the secretary of Imo NUJ faction, on Monday for publication.
Their statement read in full;
“It stinks and it pains deeply to the bone marrows that journalists who are justifiably addressed as the Fourth Estate of the Realm will horrendously as well as notoriously join the political class in going cap in hand calling on the governor as to who to appoint, reappoint or not to in his next state executive council.
“For the purpose of clarification, immediately Governor Hope Uzodimma dissolved his cabinet, a group of journalists who seem to know so little about their role in society, were conscripted, and not long afterward, went berserk on the social media and painted the local newspapers with infantile, unprofessional solicitous messages where they have been agitating for the re-appointment of the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba.
“This is as awful as it is odious. Never in the history of journalism has this kind of opprobrious assault been carried out against this noble and decent profession, regrettably, by people parading themselves as journalists. No matter the angle from which you look at it, the entire episode is outrageous and smacks of the worst kind of Almajiri Journalism. For indeed, no sane and forward-looking journalist will brazenly get involved in this messy exhibition of rascality.
“The best approach to it would have been for any journalist with character and competence to have x-rayed, in comprehensive measures, all Uzodimma’s appointees, clearly bringing to the public sphere their high and low points, thereby expressly stating in graphic details how each of them performed – for the governor to decide.
“Such analysis would have helped the Governor make informed decisions instead of this jaundiced call for the re-appointment of an official strictly on stomach-support basis.
“By openly voting for Emelumba’s return, the journalists involved in this charade have gone partisan. Their action goes to give credence to the suspicion that it was sponsored and promoted by Emelumba.
“To be sure, it is the governor’s prerogative to appoint or reappoint anyone he thinks can fit into his ideas for a better Imo as he always puts it.
“However, such a person must not be one who has a penchant for deceit, especially when it comes to the aspect of governor and journalists relationship. Sadly, this is the perception of many about Emelumba.
“The erstwhile commissioner never depicted the true image and essence of journalism although he reached the apogee of the profession, serving as the managing editor of a newspaper in the course of his career.
“We want to let the governor and the public practically understand that Emelumba, as the Commissioner for Information, had hands in all the crises rocking virtually the entire unions under his watch. For instance, Emelumba contributed largely in the Imo NUJ leadership tussle when he sided with the group that plotted to sell the Imo NUJ Secretariat and share the loot.
“In the process, he instigated the elongation of the crises in NAWOJ leadership, infused his divisive politics in INPA, polarized the Correspondents Chapel, and atomized the Imo NLC.
“If performance and delivery should be the grounds for re-appointment, Emelumba doesn’t deserve it because all his actions at his duty post were both anti-people and anti-government. His unprofessional bearings made the public view Uzodimma’s government as lacking direction, dignity and without human face.
“We therefore earnestly urge the governor not to listen to those who are directly posturing for what has been known as “stomach infrastructure” as he is poised to appoint or re-appoint new set of commissioners, having been successfully inaugurated for a second term in office.
“If he then considers Emelumba for reappointment, in spite of his horrible flaws and failures in the last outing, then so be it.”
