SEGUN ARINZE QUITS AGN LEADERSHIP

National president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Segun Arinze, has reportedly resigned, owing to internal wrangling, with immediate effect.

In a statement addressed to the AGN Board of Trustees, and purportedly signed by the actor, he is giving up his post as a result of the ‘sad development’ which marred the guild’s elections, which took place at Baden Hotel in Benin City, Edo state, on Friday April 27, 2012.

Confirmation is yet to be received from the actor, as repeated phone calls and text messages were unanswered at the time of reporting. However, it appears to be the outcome of the ‘drastic action’ he previously told NET he would take after consultation with the guild’s Board of Trustees (BOT), immediately after the botched elections.

The elections into various positions in the guild have witnessed various challenges over time, including three postponements and a court injunction halting its conduct, championed by factional leader, Emeka Ike.

Below is a copy of the said resignation letter;

‘ …In view of the recent happenings in the actors guild of Nigeria and the recently botched elections in Benin… It is indeed a sad development for AGN. In actual fact my tenure as president ended on the 9th of December 2011 but I stayed on as president in deference to the

BOT and the vast majority of our members who prevailed on me to oversee a successful transition to a new president through a free and fair election. The events in Benin on the 28th of April 2012 is now common knowledge. I know I constituted an independent Agnec that was supposed to be devoid of any electoral rancour or external influences. For my integrity and honour, I hereby resign as president of actors guild of Nigeria and it comes into effect immediately. I want to thank the BOT for all the support given during my tenure, the state chapter chairmen, my fellow presidents from other guilds in Nollywood, all AGN members and especially the media for their tremendous support and positive given during my tenure. I want to thank profoundly my wife julie for holding on during the challenging period of service to the guild.

I wish the guild the very best as we move forward.

Thanks and warm regards.

Yours faithfully

Segun Arinze‘