NPAN names Nduka Obaigbena President
By DOTUN IBIWOYE
LAGOS — NEWSPAPERS Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, NPAN, yesterday, elected publisher of Thisday Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, as its president at the end of its Annual General Meeting, yesterday.
Other officials elected at the meeting are: Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, Deputy President; Ms Comfort Obi, General Secretary; Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, Assistant General Secretary; Mrs. Maiden Ibru, Treasurer; and Mr. Frank Aigbogun, Publicity Secretary.
Other members of the executive are Mallam Ismaila Isa, Mr. Sam Amuka, ex-officio, Mr. Ray Ekpu, ex- officio, and Mrs. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, ex-officio.
In a communique issued at the end of the AGM, the association hailed the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill by the National Assembly, noting that it was a robust support for free speech and the public’s right to know.
It urged President Jonathan to endorse the bill, ahead of his inauguration as a show of his government’s commitment to the fight against corruption and impunity in the country.
Free flow of information
The association commended the National Assembly for paving the way for Nigeria’s entry into the club of democratic countries that cherish the free flow of information in order to improve transparency and good governance.
In his valedictory statement, NPAN’s outgoing President and retiring Chairman of The Punch Newspapers, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, sketched the challenges facing the Association and urged members to rise to the occasion.
The Association gave him a standing ovation for his leadership.
The new President, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, thanked the members for electing him and promised to continue the fight to entrench free speech, sound journalism and fashion a new road map for the association to place the news media at the cutting edge of new digital age.
