Planned Daily Times Anniversary to Hold as Scheduled, Says Anosike-led Board

Insists there is wicked, ulterior motive by rival group

Obinna Chima

The Fidelis Anosike and Noel Anosike-led board of the Daily Times Nigeria (DTN) yesterday, assured members of the public that their planned ‘DTN 91 Heroes Award’ and anniversary celebration expected to commence today remain as scheduled and on course.

The Group General Manager, Folio Media Communications/ DTN, Mr. Olisa Egbunike, in a statement, said the attention of the board, directors and management of the DTN had been drawn to a “fraudulent and manipulated press release trending on social media and purported to have emanated from the Legacy and Heritage Media Company.”

To this, Egbunike urged members of the public and numerous stakeholders of Daily Times of Nigeria to discountenance the statement in totality.

According to him, a vivid and careful study of the “illegal and fraudulent press release signed by an impostor claiming to be the company secretary, showed that it was the handy work of corporate hackers attempting to misinform the right-thinking members of the public on the corporate status and operations of Daily Times of Nigeria.”

He also said the “letter and spirit of the unauthorised statement also indicated that it was a calculated attempt to use the backdoor and social media to embarrass shareholders of Daily Times of Nigeria and colour the national attention currently focused toward the DTN 91 years anniversary and 2017 Times Heroes Awards.

“The trending fraud referred to as press release after more than two years of consolidated publication of Daily Times, one of the titles in the stable of the media conglomerates and particularly now when the newspaper is celebrating its anniversary and hosting the Times Heroes Awards, remains a pointer to the wicked plans of the hackers and their ulterior motives.”

He said Daily Times was privatised in 2004 and all the assets and liabilities acquired by Folio Communications Limited as core and strategic investor, adding that the federal government as represented by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) thereafter handed over the DTN to the Chairman of Folio Communications, Mr. Fidelis Anosike.

“Prior to the privatisation programme, the DTN ceased to be a public liability company in 2001 as the media conglomerate also exited from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

“Daily Times board and directors, with Anosike as Chairman, once again reassures Nigerians and foreigners of our commitment towards the successful celebration of the newspaper’s anniversary and hosting of the Times Heroes Awards,” he said.

On his part, Fidelis Anosike was quoted as saying his team was committed and remains resolute in their mission and vision towards the restoration, reinvigoration and reposition of Daily Times as the nation’s and continental media leader.

“As shareholders, we refuse to be distracted but remain focused and determined meet the overall aim of the then federal government privatisation agenda,” Anosike added.