Preparations are in top gear for the national election of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) in Akwa Ibom State.
According to the AGNEC Chairman, Steve Eboh, the choice of the ‘Orange State’ is not unconnected to the fact that Akwa Ibom is peaceful and developmental in terms of a state that can pass for movie making without any stress.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja Eboh said: “You can drive about 10 kilometers in Uyo without pothole. The state has an operating airline so it is easy for filmmakers to move in and out of Akwa Ibom to film in the beautiful serenity of the state. Though this arrangement has been on before now but because of the 2019 general elections and the issues of hand-over and appointing new commissioners, the plan got stalled half way however, it picked up momentum when the Honourable Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Orman Esin – a man who understood the gains of Nollywood for newer revenue drive in this dispensation decided to run with this vision.
“For the past nine years, Actors Guild of Nigeria has never had such a convergence and that is why the guild became bent on having election based on the constitution to converge in one place. Nine delegates from every state chapter times 22 states including other invited observers, veterans, electoral commission and all past National Presidents shall be in attendance. It is a huge outing for our guild.”
List of candidates cleared by AGNEC for the 2019 national election are Ejezie Emeka Rollas (President); Mohammed Kareem (Vice President North Central); Madinyawa M. Maxwell (Vice President, North East); Wassh Waziri Hong (Vice President, North West); Okafor Kate Oby (Vice President, South East); Chukwuji Rita Daniels (Vice President, South South); Babafemi D. Branch (Vice President, South West); Aganbi Don Pedro(General Secretary 1); Abubarkar Sanusi (General secretary 2); Nwodo R. Chelsea (Assistant Secretary); Ikechukwu Paul Mikevive (Treasurer); Emeka F. Duru (Financial Secretary); Anigbo Clement (Director of Guild Services); Coker C. Monalisa (Public Relations Officer 1); Dallas Frank (Public Relations Officer 2); Adigizi Bala (Chief Whip).
States coming for the election include Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Bayelsa, Lagos, Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, Gombe, Adamawa, Bauchi and Benue.