Peaceful Poll Produces New Leadership for Benue Correspondents’ Chapel

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, has elected a new executive committee to oversee its affairs for the next three years, with Comrade Emmanuel Antswen of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) returned unopposed as Chairman.

Also elected unopposed was Scholastica Hir of The Sun Newspaper as Financial Secretary.
The election, held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the chapel secretariat in Makurdi, was conducted in a peaceful, free, fair and transparent atmosphere.
The only contested position was that of Vice Chairman, where Attah Edeh of Daily Asset secured 13 votes to defeat the immediate past Secretary of the chapel, Titus Atondu of News Direct, who polled eight votes.
Other officers elected unopposed include John Shiaondo of Blueprint Newspaper as Secretary, Dorathy Aninge of NAN as Treasurer, and Cephas Iorhemen of New Telegraph as Auditor.
Speaking after taking the oath of office, the re-elected Chairman, Emmanuel Antswen, expressed gratitude to members of the chapel for renewing their confidence in him and the executive, describing the unopposed victory as a call to greater service.
He pledged that the new leadership would continue to serve with integrity, transparency and accountability while building on the achievements recorded during its first tenure.
“We shall sustain every policy and programme that has positively impacted our members while introducing fresh initiatives that will further improve members’ welfare, promote professional excellence and strengthen the unity of our chapel,” Antswen said.
He also commended the electoral committee for conducting a peaceful, credible and hitch-free election, noting that the exercise had further strengthened the democratic culture of the chapel.
According to him, the new executive will prioritise members’ welfare, deepen unity, expand training and capacity-building opportunities, strengthen partnerships with relevant stakeholders and pursue initiatives that will benefit members.
Antswen appreciated members for their support over the past three years and acknowledged the contributions of partners and organisations that have supported the chapel’s activities.
He also thanked the Benue State Council of the NUJ for its cooperation and reaffirmed the chapel’s commitment to working harmoniously with the council in advancing the interests of journalism and journalists in the state.
Earlier, Chairman of the NUJ Benue State Council, Comrade Bemdoo Ugber, congratulated the newly elected executive and urged them to work in the overall interest of the union.
Ugber said the successful conduct of the election would further strengthen the relationship between the Correspondents’ Chapel and the state council.
He assured members that the council would continue to provide effective supervision across all chapels to promote unity, professionalism and progress within the union, urging the new leadership to justify the confidence reposed in them through selfless service and unwavering commitment to the ideals of the NUJ.