The Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), South East Zone, Comrade Ezenwa Adiuku, has appealed to Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, to support the Abia State Council of the Union in completing its permanent secretariat project in Umuahia.
Adiuku made the appeal during the grand finale of the Abia NUJ 2026 Press Week held on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, where he commended the state council for successfully organising the week-long programme and bringing it to a memorable conclusion.
The NUJ South East Vice President expressed concern that Abia remained the only state in the South East geopolitical zone without a permanent secretariat for its NUJ council, describing the situation as a matter that deserved urgent attention.
He noted that while other state councils in the zone had permanent secretariat facilities, Abia NUJ was still operating without its own completed structure, despite having a designated parcel of land for the project.
According to him, the permanent secretariat, located at Oguribe Layout, near the Abia State House of Assembly complex in Umuahia, represents an important institutional asset that would provide a befitting administrative and operational base for journalists in the state.
Adiuku, however, observed that the South East leadership of the NUJ was impressed with the transformation in governance and development initiatives being undertaken by Governor Otti since assuming office.
He said the Governor’s administration had demonstrated a commitment to changing the governance narrative in Abia State, expressing optimism that the same commitment would be extended to addressing the long-standing challenge facing the NUJ in the state.
He therefore appealed to Governor Otti to assist the Abia NUJ Council in completing the secretariat project, stressing that such intervention would be a lasting contribution to the growth of journalism and institutional development in the state.
The Zonal Vice President maintained that providing the Union with a permanent home would not only enhance the administrative capacity of the council but also give journalists a sense of belonging and institutional recognition.
He further congratulated the Abia NUJ leadership and members for sustaining the tradition of Press Week, noting that such programmes provide valuable opportunities for professional reflection, intellectual engagement and interaction between the media and other stakeholders in society.
The Abia NUJ 2026 Press Week grand finale was held at the council’s permanent secretariat project site at Ogurube Layout, Umuahia.
The event was chaired by the immediate past Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Onuoha Ogwe, while the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu, Professor Uwaoma Kalu Uche, delivered the keynote lecture titled, “Building a New Abia: Media, Democracy and Politics of Development.”
The Abia State Council had earlier renewed its appeal for government intervention, lamenting that it remained the only NUJ state council in the country operating from rented accommodation.
Adiuku’s appeal underscores the South East leadership’s position that the provision of a permanent secretariat for Abia journalists would be a significant step towards strengthening the Union’s institutional presence and professional activities in the state.
