NUJ National Election: Yahaya, Defeats Two Others To Emerge President

By Ayodele Oni

A former Deputy National President, Alhassan Yahaya, has become the first candidate from the North Eastern part of Nigeria  to assume the leadership of the  Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He defeated two other contestant to emerge as the new National President .

The  Journalist from Gombe State polled  436 votes at the just concluded  triennial  Congress of the union  held in Owerri, the Imo State Capital.

Announcing the results of the election at around 1:00am on Thursday morning,  the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mike Ikeogwu said,  Yahaya polled a total of 436  votes to defeat his rivals Bamidele Atunbi, former National Treasurer of the Union who got 97 votes and Garba Mohammed who scored 39 votes.

The election was conducted at the 8th Triennial Delegates Conference of the Union held in Owerri Imo State, which brought together about Six hundred delegates from the State Councils in the Country.

Also elected unopposed was the Deputy National President,  Abimbola Oyetunde, General Manager Radio Nigeria Bronze FM, Edo State and former BOT of the union.

Oyetunde by this feat remains the first female Deputy National President of NUJ.

Other National Officers of the Union elected unopposed are the National Treasurer, Victor Ndukwe, who was the former Abia State Council Chairman, while Ronke Samo was reelected the Vice President of B-Zone (Southwest).

The election conducted amidst tight security, was presided over by the Representative of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero.