Ray Ekpu heads electoral committee for NGE’s biennial convention

Ahead its biennial convention, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), on Tuesday, inaugurated a five-man  electoral committee to supervise election of new executive of the Guild during its  convention scheduled for April 28 till 30 in  Lagos.

The five-man electoral committee is headed by a renowned journalist, Mr Ray Ekpu. He is expected to be  assisted by Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye, Mrs Dupe Ajayi-Gbadebo, Bonnie Iwuoha and  Mallam Abdulhamid  Majia.

Speaking  during the inauguration of the electoral committee, the  President of NGE, Mrs Funke Egbemode, tasked the  Ekpu-led committee to  ensure that capable hands are elected during the biennial  election to lead the Guild.

She  said the Guild has become more attractive to all within and outside the NGE and therefore, charged the members to do everything to keep the NGE attractive, healthy and responsible.

Her words: “The duties of the Electoral Committee  shall include but not be limited to; giving out the nomination forms to aspirants, receiving the nomination forms, ensuring the aspirants are qualified for the offices they seek, conducting the election, announcing the results of the  exercise and swearing-in the new Standing  Committee.

“The electoral committee of the NGE has always been reserved for elders, fellows and custodians of the history of this august body  for obvious reasons. The assignment is delicate. It requires experience of only level-headed, sure footed and fair-minded men and women.“The NGE convention is taken very seriously by members and as such, tempers tend to rise and nerves frayed but thankfully for just a short period. Respect for our elders and consideration for a healthy Guild in spite of everything always  prevail.”

We are sure of  your capable hands and your fairness has come to the rescue of the Guild more than once. We know we can trust you with this assignment,” she added.

Ekpu,  in his address, assured the NGE Standing  Committee that the electoral committee will do a good job to  sustain the Guild.“Election in Nigeria is a difficult job and not less in a professional Guild like NGE. Since I lost the NGE  election in 1982, I have been actively involved in NGE and I have not looked back since then to  prevent what happened in 1982, when the election was hijacked.”