The Akwa Ibom State wing of the League of Veteran Journalists has constituted a five-man panel of a former Information Commissioner of the state and members of the
Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to draw up a programme for the inauguration of the newly elected officers of the League.
The five-man panel which has three weeks to conclude its assignment, beginning from Monday, August 4, 2025, is saddled with responsibility of
choosing a suitable venue, date,
and time for the event.
The panel is also shortlist guests for the media event and their roles, where applicable as well as provide whatever is necessary for the occasion including the logistics.
In a statement made public in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, by the Publicity Secretary of the League, Akanimo Sampson, those tapped to serve in the panel are:
Samuel Enobong Akpan, the Managing Consultant of Comfort FM radio station as Chairman; Mrs. Christy Obot, a former Information Commissioner of the state; Obiota Ekanem, a top member of the NGE and a retired Editor-in-Chief of The Pioneer newspaper; Grace Utuk; and the former General Manger of Comfort FM, Eddy Ekpenyong, who is serving as Secretary of the panel.
The newly elected Chairman of the League, Mr. Soney Antai, a former Chairman of the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said their selection was based on merit as a result of their track record in public service.
Meanwhile, the League is poised to develop and implement training programmes for journalists in the state, focusing on ethical reporting, fact-checking, and critical analysis.
Mr. Antai in his post-election speech promised that the League’s Executive Committee under his watch will foster a culture of journalistic integrity and professionalism to counteract misinformation and disinformation.
“We will seek to provide technical support to independent media outlets in out state to enhance press freedom, their sustainability, capacity, and reach, in a bid to ensure that they provide reliable and diverse sources of information to the public”, Antai said.
After their formal inauguration ceremony, the League said it will be raising awareness about the importance of press freedom and its role in upholding democracy in Nigeria.
“We will strongly advocate for legal protections for journalists, freedom of information, and the elimination of censorship”, the group added.
