NUJ President Knocks Mischief Makers Over NEC Resolutions
Cautions journalists against bias, falsehood
BY EDMOND ODOK – The President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, has slammed faceless groups of journalists out to distort the resolutions reached at the recently concluded National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Union.
He said deliberately working to misrepresent facts and misinform right-thinking members of society about the NEC resolutions is “really sad and appalling”.
Isiguzo, who will be seeking a second tenure at the forthcoming Triennial Delegates’ Conference slated for October 4, 2021 in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, said “petty and pedestrian issues laced with bias and falsehood” would do the Union no good in the present circumstance.
In a statement signed by Amos Dunia, Chairman of Isiguzo-Alhassan Campaign Council, the NUJ President condemned a situation where some journalists are deliberately out to misrepresent facts for selfish reasons and personal aggrandizement.
The statement, which debunked insinuations of manipulating the Credentials Committee membership and host of the 7th Triennial Delegates’ Conference, said; “At the NEC in question, all the Vice Presidents from all the six Zones nominated their representatives into the Credentials’ Committee while the National Secretariat nominated three members in line with normal procedure and convention.
“Unlike the trending make believe by the traducers of the union whose stock in trade is blackmail, the venue of the next Triennial Delegates Conference was a purely NEC decision without the interference of the President of the union.
“We are quick to point out that as usual for the hosting of the Conference, the meeting allowed State Councils to bid for it because of the enormous funds required. Abia State Council was the only Council that vied for it with letter of commitment and approval by the state government to host. But at the prompting of the Vice President of Zone F, Comrade Edward Ogude, who could not get any state within his zone to host, requested the FCT Council to host, an invitation that was promptly and jointly turned down by the Chairman and Secretary of the FCT, saying they were not prepared to host. At this stage, no other State Council bided safe Abia Council.
“The NEC therefore approved the bidding proposed by the Abia State Council through an overwhelming voice votes with no dissension even from the proponent of the FCT hosting.”
Still on the Triennial Delegates Conference, the Campaign Council said; “To put the records straight for those who believe in truth and not falsehoods, it is appropriate to remind us that the 2018 Electoral Committee was inaugurated two months to the election, precisely on July 25, 2018 while election was fixed for 26th -29th September 2018. It was later shifted by one week (3rd-5th October) as a result of political parties’ state primaries that took place on September 29, 2018. Even at that, it was still less than three months. These are proven facts that are well documented.
“Sadly, the mischief makers are proposing extension of tenure, which the Chris Isiguzo leadership is not interested in. That a bad precedence is being corrected, we think the NUJ leadership should be commended for this.”
On allegations of manipulating delegates’ list, the Campaign Council said; “It is a fact that the National Secretariat does not give additional delegates to Councils without requests and evidence of additional chapels”, adding that about 12 state Councils have, in the last three years, met the criteria for adjusting their delegates’ list in line with the newly inaugurated chapels.
The Campaign Council therefore chided mischief makers for mentioning just four states in the South East and South South with the intent of confusing unsuspecting Union members and the public.
“Interestingly, they refused to mention the following state Councils that equally had their delegates’ list adjusted upward in accordance with new chapels they applied for. The States include: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kogi and Nasarawa. These were in addition to the four states mischievously stated by the fake news carriers”, it said
According to the statement; “It is appropriate to remind ourselves as journalists that in our journalistic parlance, that facts are sacred and opinions are free”, adding; “As leaders, we are committed to the corporate goals of our great Union and we refuse to be lured into the arena of the confused state.”
The Council however urged all concerned members, who believe strongly in the corporate goals and good image of the NUJ to guard against the activities and fertile imaginations of “meddlesome interlopers” while also refraining from actions capable of destroying the Union going forward.
