By Chizoba Ogbeche and Bode Olagoke
Abuja
The ownership crisis rocking the management of the popular Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN) has resurfaced, even as some acclaimed owners of the Newspaper distance themselves from the much-talked about 91 Heroes Award slated for this week
In a statement made available to Blueprint yesterday in Abuja by the acclaimed owners which include its chairman Senator Okechukwu Obiorah and a former House of Representatives member Chudi Ofodile, called the attention of the Inspector General of police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, the Director General of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) Lawal Daura and the general public to stay away from the well planned event.
The said statement which was signed on their behalf by the acclaimed company secretary, L.A. Idu Esq noted thus: “The Board of Directors of The Daily Times of Nigeria Plc wishes to inform the general public that the so called Daily Times of Nigeria at 91 Heroes Award ceremony being organised by one Fidelis Anosike and one Noel Anosike is illegal and criminal.
“Fidelis Anosike and Noel Anosike are impostors and are not officers of The Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN) Plc in any capacity whatsoever, neither as directors nor as shareholders and do not have the authority of the company to organise any ceremony on its behalf.
“The certified true copies of Status Report of DTN issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission on Friday, 12 May 2017 and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Director General, State Security Services and the Chairman EFCC, shows the current officers of the company as to chairman, directors, shareholders and secretary and that Fidelis Anosike and Noel Anosike are not officers of DTN, are herewith attached for ease of reference.
Howevwer, in a twist, a former staff of the company, Mr. Bonaventure Melah, has commended the Fidelis Anosike-led management for efforts being put in place for a successful holding of 91 Heroes Award.
In a press statement yesterday in Abuja, Bonaventure said from what he had seen so far, “the Daily Times Heroes Award is set to be the biggest and most successful event of its kind in Nigerian history”.
He also hailed the DTN management for repositioning the newspaper, in spite of the challenges currently posed to mainstream media by social media and other mass communication platforms, adding, however, that attempts by some misguided elements to cause irritation over the coming event is dead even before delivery.
“You cannot reap from the sweat of another man. After winning the bid and legitimately acquiring Daily Times, Fidelis Anosike has put in all of his life into bringing the newspaper into limelight and in the process won all the legal battles associated with its ownership”, he said.
