Denja Abdullahi, ANA new president, makes promises

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has a new man at the helm. Denja Abdullahi, poet, playwright and cultural administrator was elected its new president following keenly contested elections at the Kaduna Convention. The election which pitted Abdullahi against BM Dzukogi was decided Sunday morning after months of campaigns laced with acrimony. This prompted former […]

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has a new man at the helm. Denja Abdullahi, poet, playwright and cultural administrator was elected its new president following keenly contested elections at the Kaduna Convention.
The election which pitted Abdullahi against BM Dzukogi was decided Sunday morning after months of campaigns laced with acrimony. This prompted former President Dr. Wale Okediran to intervene and try to persuade the aspirants to run a free and fair campaign.
The contest was decided on last minute horse trading and political intrigues which saw Mallam Abdullahi emerge winner with 155 votes ahead of Dzukogi’s 90.
Abdullahi, who had progressed through the ranks of the association from the Secretary General to the Vice president in the last EXCO will now seek to continue the strides his predecessor, Prof. Remi Raji, made in repositioning the largest writers’ body in Africa.
After the elections, Mal. Abdullahi in an email to members of the association said, “On behalf of the newly elected members of the National Executive Council, I thank the ANA electorate for giving us the mandate to lead and be in the front line of the visioning process.”
While reaffirming that leadership is a sacred trust, he promised to deliver on all that he pledged and more.
“Our leadership will give nothing but service. Our visions and actions will be premised on merit, productivity and tangibility of achievements. The time of politicking has passed with its momentary euphoria and deflation. Now is the time to face the reality of bringing beautiful plans and statements on paper, computer screens or inside the whirling brain to fruition.”
The elections also threw up some surprises with incumbent Secretary General, Tanko Okoduwa losing his seat to Uyo-based academic, Ofonime Inyang, while journalists and writer Abdulaziz Abdulaziz stumbled in his bid to succeed Richard Ali as the association’s PRO North. The office went to veteran journalist, Yusuf Dingyadi.
Heavy weight Greg Mbajiorgu, lost his bid to be made assistant Secretary General, with the post going to Alaska Ekele.
The elections which were supervised by Prof. Jerry Agada (Chairman), Prof. May IfeomaNwoye, Prof. Sunday Ododo, Dr. Wale Okediran and Prof. Barclays Ayakoroma, threw up the following results:

OFFICE    NAME OF     VOTES
    CANDIDATES   
President:    BM Dzukogi     90
    DenjaAbdullahi    155
Vice President:     NgoziChuma-Udeh    106
    CamilusUkah    131
Secretary General:    TankoOkoduwa     91
    Ofonime Inyang    141
Assistant Secretary:    Greg Mbajiorgu     91
    Alaska Ekele    138
Treasurer:    HussainKodo      61
    Hasia Muhammed    147
Financial Secretary:    Gloria Clement     88
    Ikechi Owaibe    130
PRO (North):    Abdulazeez Abdulazeez    95
    Yusuf Dingyadi    127
PRO (South):    Olatunbosun Taofeek     Unopposed
Auditor:    Ebika Anthony    16
    Samson Kukwa    73
    Anele Ihuoma    115
Legal Adviser:    Isaac Ogezi    Unopposed
Ex-Officio:    Friday Abbah     90
    Boniface Anyanwu    91
    Ibrahim Tudu    111
    Lekan Adewusi    119
    Odimeze Ameachi    119
    Ernest Onuoha    124