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NIPR Fellowship to Muoka, Ibietan, meritorious – Danbatta
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, has hailed the conferment of the Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, (fnipr) on two management staff of the Commission, as meritorious and a testimony to the Commission’s promotion of professionalism and excellence in its scheme of management.
The NCC EVC’s assertion followed the recent investiture and induction of Mr. Reuben Muoka, Director of Public Affairs, and Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head, Media Relations in the Public Affairs Department of the Commission, as Fellows of the Chartered Institute during its AGM and Conference at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
Danbatta, in congratulating the duo, said the Commission is proud to have produced these two individuals who have been considered worthy of elevation to the fellowship cadre of the prestigious institution like the NIPR, and that their emergence resonates with two of the Commission’s core values; Excellence and Professionalism; which the Commission coincidentally shares with the NIPR.
The NCC boss, a Professor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, with many Fellowships like: Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Renewable and Alternative Energy Society of Nigeria, expressed delight at the level of performance of the Commission’s staff in their different areas of professional calling.
He commended the NIPR as a body for its commitment in the regulation of the practice of public relations in Nigeria for which it has found an ally in NCC. “This can only rekindle the healthy collaboration and partnership existing between the NCC and NIPR, especially in the area of capacity-building and commitment to appropriate national social orientation”, Danbatta stated.
Muoka, the Director of Public Affairs Department of the NCC, holds M.Sc. in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos with specialisation in Public Relations and Advertising, after a Postgraduate Diploma in the same field from the same University; and he had earlier obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts from the University of Ilorin. Besides being a fellow of NIPR, he is also an associate of the Registered Practitioners of Advertising, (arpa).
He had worked for many years as Communications Editor in Vanguard Newspapers during which he also chaired the League of Communications Correspondents, one of the platforms that championed the deregulation of the telecom industry in Nigeria. He also worked for MTS First Wireless, Nigeria’s first mobile network operator, where he rose to the position of Deputy General Manager. In 1999, Muoka received a fellowship involving a Pan-African training and tour, leading to the award of a Diploma in Journalism, at the instance of the Egyptian Ministry of Information, and the African Journalists Union (AJU), in Cairo, Egypt.
Ibietan earned a PhD in Communication from North-West University in South Africa. He had earlier obtained MA in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan, a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Uyo, and a Journalism Diploma from the Moscow-based International Institute of Journalism, Abuja Campus. A noted advocate of freedom and democracy, he was Freedom House Nigeria Project’s Regional Media Researcher in the Niger Delta until his appointment in 2006 as Special Media Assistant to the Federal Minister of Information and Communication, during which he popularised the use of new media for public communication in Nigeria. He is a member of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) and the International Institute of Communications (IIC).
Ibietan joined the NCC in 2008 and was deployed to Legislative and Government Relations (LGR) Department where he was frontline liaison staff of the Commission with the National Assembly. Much later after the merging of the LGR Department with the Public Affairs Department in 2010, he served as Manager Media and Public Relations under Muoka’s supervision and became Senior Manager Media Management until January 2017 when he was redeployed to PAD’s emergent Online Media and Special Publication Unit, and subsequently designated as the head of the Unit. He also worked at the Consumer Information and Education Unit of the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB) until his redeployment to PAD. He became an Assistant Director in January 2021 and was appointed Head Media Relations in July 2022.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was expected to hold a peace meeting with the Niger Delta leaders to be represented by the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), at the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
PANDEF, a brain child of the late elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark would represent all traditional rulers, leaders, and stakeholders from the Niger Delta region.
The stakeholder will later followed up the meeting with the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpa and other lawmakers from the Niger Delta region in the National Assembly after villa’s meeting with President Tinubu.
Co-Chairmen of the Board of Trustees for this regional organization include former Governors HRM Alfred Diete-Spiff of old Rivers State and Obong Victor Attah of Akwa-Ibom State.
The National Chairman of PANDEF is Ambassador Godknows Igali, a distinguished former federal permanent secretary and diplomat.
A top member of the group who confided in Vanguard said: “We (leaders of PANDEF) had an expanded NEC meeting at the Transcorp Abuja yesterday.
“We shall have an interactive session with Mr President at the Villa this morning. Later in the afternoon we shall meet with the Senate President and all National Assembly members from the South South.”
The National Executive Committee of Action Alliance (AA) led by the National Chairman Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze said it has uncovered plot by some sacked members of the party to challenge the leadership of the party .
The party in a statement in Abuja accused some sacked members of the party led by Adekunle Rufai Omoaje to plunge the party into another round of legal battle after the Supreme court had put to rest the leadership tussle that had rocked the party for years.
The party in a statement by its National Secretary, Vernimbe James said a group of expelled members led by Mr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje secretly filed action at the Federal High Court Osogbo, Osun state in Suit asking the Independent National Electoral Commissiin (INEC) to replace Chief Udeze with the sacked Omoaje as the National chairman of AA.
The group in a suit number FHC/OS/CS/242/2024, reserved for judgment today 11th, March, 2025 is challenging the leadership of Chief Udeze
The said suit is coming barely a week after the supreme court had affirmed Chief Udeze as the authentic national Chairman of AA.
And Omoaje suit is coming ‘after loosing the party leadership contest at the Court of appeal in Appeals Number;CA/ABJ/CV/955/2022 Judgement delivered on 26th, January,2024, CA/ABJ/CV/869/2024 Judgement delivered on 6th, September, 2024,CA/ABJ/CV/1163/2024 Judgement delivered on 13th, November,2024 and Supreme court of Nigeria in Appeal Number:SC/CV/922/2024 , ruling delivered on 26th, February,2025.
The expelled Members of the party should be properly counsel that the lower Court such as the Federal high Court can not rub shoulder with the appellate courts on a settled matter of Action Alliance (AA) leadership.
The party ‘s team of lawyers have been directed to do the needful in respect of the secret suit filed by former members of the party at the Federal high Court Osogbo.
Action Alliance (AA) members across Nigeria and beyond should remain peaceful and law abiding that the authentic National Leadership of the party led by Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze will continue to defend and uphold the party’s Constitution and we Congratulate you all for the success of the recent party’s Nationwide Ward,LGA, State Congresses and National Convention.
The Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze led National leadership of the party remains undeterred in light of the settled Court of appeal Judgements and Supreme Court Ruling on AA leadership in favor of Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze led National Executive Committee of the party.
The Chairman of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, Rtd has been ordered by the State House of Assembly to be arrested following his failure to appear on Monday.
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule approved the warrant of arrest after deliberations by the members of his refusal to appear first after the earlier 48 hours ultimatum and 78 hours deadline which the RSIEC chairman still snubbed House invitation.
During Monday’s plenary session, Speaker Martin Amaewhule and the House unanimously approved the warrant, reinforcing their demand for accountability from the RSIEC officials.
The Assembly members are contending that the appointment of the Chairman was illegal having not been approved by the State House of Assembly in line with the appointment of political office holders in Rivers State.
One of the Commissioner in RSIEC in charge of transportation, logistics and Store, Ibiemebo Evelyn Thompson, on Monday resigned citing Supreme Court judgment that invalidated the October 5, Local Government Council elections in Rivers State.
Her resignation follows that of two other commissioners, Lazberry Nnah and Professor Simeon Weli, who stepped down last week for the same reason.
With the RSIEC Chairman, Justice Enebeli, yet to respond to the Assembly’s summons, it remains unclear what his next course of action will be.
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