Tenure expiration: Conduct fresh elections in next two weeks, or risk dissolution, Nigeria union of journalists tell 5 chapels in ogun state council

The leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has issued two weeks ultimatum to five of its chapels in Ogun State comprising: Information, National Orientation Agency, Ogun State Television, Federated and Correspondents to conduct fresh election for new set of executive, stressing that failure will attract dissolution of such chapels’ executives and caretaker committee inaugurated in such chapel.

Penpushing reports that, the directive was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the special meeting held between the leadership of Zone B and State Executive Council (SEC) of Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on 17th June 2020, at Press Centre Iwe Iroyin hall, Abeokuta.

The meeting chaired by Vice-President of the Zone, Comrade Cosmos Oni assisted by the Zonal Secretary, Comrade Bamigbola Olagunte, said the elections became imperative following the national Secretariat position to ascertain the developments in the council.

Penpushing further reports that, the leadership of the union emphasized need to  reconcile the council’s account regarding the payment of check off dues and facilitates elections in chapel’s due for it necessary in view of the expiration

The communiqué added that, the union leadership affirmed the legitimacy of the caretaker committee in the state noting that the committee is in charge of the state council affairs and directed every chapel in the  council to cooperate with the caretaker committee in the interest of peace.

Penpushing also reports that, the union ruling body charged all chapels owing check off dues  to remit accordingly and ensure prompt payment forthwith, which must be paid to the National, Zone, State and Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) separately.

The communiqué advised the State Chapter of National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ)  to properly liaise with the State Council on their election as done by  Sports Writers Association of Nigeria(SWAN) to ensure seamless transition.

Penpushing reports that, the meeting after thorough deliberation on Newsdirect Chapel, approved that the chapel, having failed to conduct elections in the last seven years, failed to remit check off dues in the same period and with the inability to meet up with the constitutionally required number of members to make up a chapel in the last screening exercise conducted by the national Secretariat of the union stand de-chapelised.

The leadership of the union emphasized that, in view of this NewsDirect cease to exist as a chapel in Ogun State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), while at the meeting three persons voted for the chapel to be given a second chance while seven persons voted for the chapel to cease to exist.

Penpushing also reports that, the four legitimate members of the proscribed News Direct chapel were advised to join the Federated chapel, while the meeting in session approved that the list of screened members arrived at after the last screening exercise will be used for chapel’s election, and the communique equally informed that a committee will soon visit all chapels and the state council to take inventory of all assets of the union.

Meanwhile, the communiqué drafting include: Biodun Ogundipe of Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation as Chairman, Wale Oluokun of Paramount FM as Secretary, and Akin Samuel of Federated Chapel as member member, while ten out of the 12 chapels were in attendance