Chairman’s P.A Calls Union Secretary “Bagger”, As Crisis Rocks A’Ibom NUJ

By Nse Peter

An internal crisis, which is snowballing into scandal, is currently rocking the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council, under the watch of its Chairman, Elder Patrick Albert.

Elder Patrick Albert’s P.A on Protocol, Emmanuel Ikpe, Thursday, took to Facebook to make derogatory remark against the State Secretary of the NUJ, Mr. Joseph Robert.

“Don't mind the bagger, his time up,” Emmanuel Ikpe said of Mr. Joseph Robert, as a response to a message posted on Robert’s Facebook page by the Auditor of the union, Mr. Ephraim Ikpe.

Emmanuel Ikpe’s remark against Robert appeared to be linked to the internal politics of the union, as the NUJ secretary is said to be nursing the ambition to succeed Albert.

The Vice Chairman of NUJ in the state, Mrs. Florence Umoetuk, said Ikpe’s attack on the secretary of the union was “in very bad taste.”

Mrs. Umoetuk said, “Emmanuel Ikpe, your duty as assistant to the chairman does not give you such audacity.

“Mind you, we are months away from elections. Even if it were a campaign environment, I personally would not demean myself to call my opponent a bagger.”