By Emma Okereh
Group of journalists from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, council under the aegis of Concerned Bonafide Journalists practicing in the capital city, have raised the alarm that the national president of the union, Chief Chris Isiguzo has taken actions amounting to disregard of its constitution.
This followed the actions taken by the Isiguzo led national Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the events leading to the planned conduct of the FCT Council election in December.
In a press statement signed by Emeka Nze and Caleb Onwe, respectively, on behalf of the group, it averred that the Concerned Bonafide Journalists cannot afford to fold its’ hands and watch helplessly while those that it described as quacks, destroy the union and the profession under the watch and support of the national president.
The statement which was released on Tuesday, advised Isiguzo to dump the ill-advised path of imposing his preferred candidate on the leadership of the council and tow the path of caution and respect the NUJ constitution upon which, everything revolves.
It stated that it was in the blind pursuit of that ambition that made him to jettison the constitutional provisions on choosing Credentials Committee members that will midwife the December election.
The statement in part reads:
“This brazen illegality which is tantamount to setting aside the grundnorm upon which the Union is built, was thereafter challenged by the leadership of the FCT Council in a petition to the National Secretariat.
“The petition duly signed by the duo of the council Chairman and the secretary detailed the unhealthy and unprecedented interference of Isiguzo and his lakeys at the National Secretariat, in the smooth operation and runnings of the FCT council.
“Whilst the petitioners, for the sake of peace, unity and stability of the union, chose a large heart to give the credentials committee a chance to midwife the election for a new set of executives for the council, they, invoking their constitutional powers called the attention of the National President and those working with him on this path to relevant provisions of the Constitution that would ensure a rancour- free exercise.
“The petition stressed on the need of ensuring that only Journalists allowed by Article 3, 4 and 6 of the Constitution which set out the qualification for membership of the Union are allowed into the credentials committee to ensure fairness, excellence, merit and most importantly, to uphold the professionalism of Journalism not only in the FCT, but in Nigeria as well.”
