The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has distanced itself from a convention purportedly scheduled for July 20 in a faction of its Bayelsa State chapter which aims at electing a new State Executive Committee.
President of the association, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, said in a statement: “By this disclaimer the National Leadership of ANA distances the National Executive Council (NEC) from any convention or election other than the one already held, and which produced the recognised State Exco led by Barr. Ebi Robert.
F”or the avoidance of doubt, there is only one recognised State Executive Committee, and that is the one led by Barr. Ebi Robert, the Bayelsa State Chairman of the Association.”
Akanbi noted that for the past few years, ANA has experienced its own share of crises, which were the fallouts from the 2019 botched Enugu Convention.
“However, following my emergence as President of the association in 2023, frantic efforts have been made to reconcile the state chapters affected by the crises.
“In the spirit of peace and togetherness, many of the affected chapters and their members have accepted the NEC-recognised leadership in their states and have returned to the fold under one ANA National Leadership as bona fide registered members.
“Sadly, despite similar peace offers extended to the affected members in Bayelsa State, it appears that the instruction given from the ANA National Office that the affected members be registered afresh with the current state leadership of Ebi Robert has fallen on deaf ears.
“It is on good record that the said registration forms were made available and some of the affected members have done nobly by filling out the the forms.
“Apparently, when we thought that the issues had finally been resolved, we were informed in a swift twist of events that some members are planning to hold another state election separate from the one that produced Ebi Robert as the Chairman of the Association in Bayelsa State.
“Let it be known that this attempt by whoever to sabotage the mediation and peace talks held before now has failed woefully.
“Consequently, members of the general public are hereby advised to distance themselves from any purported convention or state election held in Bayelsa State today or any other day as the same is null, void, and of no legal effect whatsoever.
“Associations all over the world survive from the life given them by their national framework. No branch of any association exists in isolation of its duly elected and recognised national leadership.”
