By Seyifunmi Odunuga
Chairman, the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN) Board of Trustees, Alhaji Abdulfatai Adeniyi popularly called Dan Kazeem has called for the postponement of the association’s forthcoming election.
He disclosed this to REPORTERS AT LARGE in Ilorin the Kwara State capital recently.
According to him, “Our position is that the election should be put on hold, for now, pending the determination of the following salient issues, which have to do with the progress of our association:”
“Having considered some important issues to be discussed before our next Congress and election, the Oyo, Kwara, Ogun, Osun and Kogi States have resolved not to participate in the FIBAN Congress and national election scheduled to hold on Friday 13th January 2023.
Dan Kazeem continued, “We should all be on the same page as to know how many chapters are eligible to participate in this election. This will go a long way in ensuring free, fair, peaceful, and credible elections”.
Furthermore, We demand real-time updates as regards the FIBAN building in Ibadan, which the previous administration headed by Comrade Yemi Sonde handed over to Comrade Desmond Nwachukwu, and which has been abandoned for 6 years and later withheld by Oyo State Government.
Dan Kazeem also demand updates on the income and expenditure account of the College of Broadcasting in Abeokuta, which to the best of our knowledge, is FIBAN property. Chairman board of trustees on behalf of Fiban also need to see proof of documents relating to loans, grants, terms and conditions with the affiliated institutions, and everything that has to do with COBAB.
This will prevent the same scenario that occurred with the Ibadan building to repeat itself on COBAB after handing over to the next elected president.
Dan Kazeem also said, Before planning any election, the association should first find a way to reunite all the past presidents and great leaders of the association, who have decided not to have anything to do with FIBAN again, including, readmitting the Lagos State chapter of FIBAN back into the fold.
Finally, the association request that all rancors occasioned by this coming national elections in all FIBAN chapters be settled first before a peaceful election is held.
Dan Kazeem said the association is aware that FIBAN chapters at Osun, Ogun, Abuja, and some other states have serious crises which we need to resolve before any meaningful election can hold.
While thanking them for their leadership prowess and the doggedness, which has taken the association, FIBAN, to this enviable position, they should please accept the assurances of the highest regards Dan Kazeem said.
The postponement of the FIBAN election is a welcome development, at least, for peace to reign in the association.