Presidency, governor hail new NGE President, Anaba

The Presidency yesterday congratulated the newly elected president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Eze Anaba.

Anaba, the editor of Vanguard newspaper, emerged president after an election which took place at the NGE’s National Biennial Convention, in Owerri, Imo State.

He polled 250 votes to defeat Mr Bolaji Adebiyi of This Day newspaper who got 81 votes. The result was announced by chairperson of the election committee, Mrs Maimuna Garba.

Reacting to the election in a statement yesterday, the special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on special duties, communications and strategy, Mr Dele Alake, wished Anaba and the other newly elected officials of the guild a most fulfilling and productive tenure in office.

He said by the peaceful and rancor-free conduct of the elections, the NGE had sent a resounding message to the larger Nigerian polity that elections for desired offices can be intensely competed for without bitterness, acrimony and malice.

He conveyed the president’s commendation to those who lost in the elections at various levels for accepting the outcome and pledging support for the winners.

“This is a light that the NGE is showing that the rest of us may find the way to a mature, tolerant, stable and sustainable democratic culture.

“It is of the utmost importance that the various unions in the newspaper industry such as the NGE, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) imbibe the ethos of internal democracy in support of professional integrity for the benefit of good governance, stability and sustainability development in Nigeria.

“The NGE has, in this regard, made a strong statement for the Nigerian media as a worthy exemplar. But then, elections are not held within the unions in our profession just for the sake of holding elections to appoint new officers of associational offices,” he said.

He said President Tinubu had insisted that the challenges ahead of the media in playing its role towards strengthening the nation’s democracy, keeping power continually in check as well as promoting good, responsible and accountable governance are greater than the paths traversed before.

The president pledged the support of his administration for the media to achieve the lofty objectives in the best interest of the country.

Speaking after his election, Anaba thanked members of the guild for the confidence reposed in him and promised not to let them down.

He commended the outgoing president,  Mustapha Isah, for his leadership attributes and for organising a successful election.

Iyabosa Uwugiaren emerged general secretary with 290 votes to beat the other contestant.

Similarly, Rivers State Governor, Siminalaye Fubara, applauded the emergence of  Anaba.

In a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday,  he commended the NGE members for electing Anaba whom he described as a seasoned journalist and professional with enormous experience.

The governor prayed that Anaba utilises his new position to promote social harmony and development in the country.

He charged editors to put the interest of the nation first in their information management by upholding the tenets of truth and fairness at all times in order to foster development for prosperity of the country.