Aggrieved NUJ members seek disqualification of 2 Credential Committee members

…Petition NUJ National President

…Raise alarm over plot to forge receipts/ ID cards for Committe members

Notable members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) have called for the disqualification of two members of the Credential Committee elected for the forthcoming Triennial delegates conference of NUJ Abuja Council, scheduled to hold on the 4th December, 2024.

The aggrieved Members drawn from various Chapels in the petitions dated 1st November, 2024 and addressed to the NUJ National President, alleged that Mr. Sola Akingboye who is a publisher and editor-in-chief and Mr. Peter Asemokhai are unfit to be part of the Credentials Committee.

Mr Peter who wants to lead the credentials committee according to the petition has never attended congress for once and hasn’t paid his check up dues as a member but there are however indications that the secretary of council is allegedly planning to raise receipts/ ID Cards for them.

Only last week Mr Patrick Osadebamwe the embattled council chairman refused to release the letter sent by the National Secretariat asking for details of members check off dues knowing that two members to include Mr Peter and Sola were not qualified and are yet to pay their dues .

Mr Ochaka Ugwu was said to have agreed to handle production of ID card for Mr Peter who they told to delay sales of form so as to buy time for the National Election to hold .

According to the petitioners, the aforementioned persons are in breach of Article 3 Sub section 3(b & d); Article 4 Sub section (2a), (2b) and 5A (9e); among others.

One of the petitioners who underscored the “need to continue to consolidate on the gains of the current administration and protect the integrity of our constitution must be sacrosanct”, alleged that Mr. Akingboye’s status as a Publisher of RegentAfrica Times is “unqualified to be one of the umpires of the December Triennial delegates conference of Abuja Council.

“Such infraction will incalculable harm to the image of the Union, integrity of our constitution as well as the credibility of the entire electoral process. Mr. Akinboyewa should NOT in good conscience be allowed to be the proverbial black dent of the clean sheet of our great Union.

“Simply put, his membership of this all important committee is in flagrant contravention of Article 3 Sub section 3(b), (d).

“3(b) states that: “Associate members shall have the right to attend and speak at meetings of the Union, but shall not vote or be voted for.”

“(d). “Media owners and employers as recognised by the Trade Unions Act, such as Online Media Owners, local/community newspaper publishers, among others, shall not be members of the Union.”

The petitioners further argued that: “Mr. Akingboye is even in deficit of the basic requirements of the constitution as stipulated in Article 4 Sub section (2a), (2b) and 5A (9e) which states that
(2a) ‘A member shall be disqualified from acting as a delegate or representative of a Chapel at any meeting of the union or from benefiting from the union in any other manner if his checks-off and practising fees have not been fully paid.

“(2b). An Associate Member and duly certificated journalist shall pay an annual professional fee of N20,000.00 (Twenty Thousand Naira) only, or as may be fixed by the National Executive Council (NEC).

“5A(9e) – Membership of the Credentials Committee shall be drawn from among members of the union in good financial standing who have no intention to vie for offices in the said elections.

“It will interest you to know that the nomination of Mr. Sola Akingboye contravenes the provisions of Article 6 sub section 7e and 7f which stipulates that: (7e). ‘Only members who have fully paid their check-off dues and practising or professional fees and have been so certified shall be considered to be in good financial standing.’

“(f). ‘To qualify, an aspirant and the sponsors must have attended at least 50% of meetings of the State Council and Chapel within the period between Conferences, backed up with records of previous Union activities. For those on redeployment, records of their Union activities at their previous places of work and Councils shall count in their favour’.”

To this end, the petitioners urged the NUJ National President to “use your good offices to protect our constitution which you swore to protect.
“That Mr. Akingboye and his ilk and cohorts must stopped from denting the image of the Union.
“That Mr. Akingboye and the sentiment he represents be uprooted from the fabrics of the Union and that he is disciplined.
“That Mr. Akingboye be disqualified and summarily removed from the Committee to also serve as deterrent for others who may be nursing the nefarious ambition of bringing the Union into disrepute before right thinking members of the public.”

In a related development, a group of Petitioners also called for the disqualification of Mr. Peter Asemokhai as Member of NUJ FCT Council Credentials Committee, because “his nomination and consequent membership is in flagrant contravention of the provisions of the Constitution of the Union.

“Evidently, Mr. Peter Asemokhai did not meet the requirements as provided in Article 4 Sub section (2a), (2b) and 5A (9e) of the Constitution which states interalia:
(2a) ‘A member shall be disqualified from acting as a delegate or representative of a Chapel at any meeting of the union or from benefiting from the union in any other manner if his checks-off and practising fees have not been fully paid.’

“(2b). ”An Associate Member and duly certificated journalist shall pay an annual professional fee of N20,000.00 (Twenty Thousand Naira) only, or as may be fixed by the National Executive Council (NEC).

“5A (9e) Membership of the Credentials Committee shall be drawn from among members of the union in good financial standing who have no intention to vie for offices in the said elections.’ Mr. Asemokhai, for all intents and purposes has fallen short of the provisions of the unions’ constitution.

“Disqualifying him forthwith, in my view , should be inevitable to continue to protect the integrity of the Union.”

The petitioners also alleged that Mr. Asemokhai is in breach of Article 6 subsection 7(f) which stipulates that: ‘To qualify, an aspirant and the sponsors must have attended at least 50% of meetings of the State Council and Chapel within the period between Conferences, backed up with records of previous Union activities. For those on redeployment, records of their Union activities at their previous places of work and Councils shall count in their favour.’

“Considering the above misdemeanours on the part of Mr. Peter Asemokhai I am competent to say that he is not in good financial standing and did not meet the 50% Congress attendance as require by the constitution.

“In view of the obvious encumbrances suffered by Mr. Asemokhai it is my considered view that he be disqualified without further delay so that he does not, either because of his own ignorance, negligence of mischief, drag the name of our great union in the mud,” the petition read in part.