The leadership of the Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Delta State Council, has passed a vote of no confidence in the State Chairman, Churchill Oyowe, over concerns surrounding the conduct of its chapel elections.
The decision followed an emergency meeting held at the Chapel Secretariat, where the Executive Committee condemned what it described as the unilateral postponement of elections earlier scheduled for April 15, 2026.
In a communiqué signed by Chairman Kenneth Orusi and other EXCO members, the leadership accused Oyowe of actions capable of undermining democratic principles within the union, particularly his alleged failure to ensure a transparent and credible electoral process.
The EXCO maintained that the NUJ State Chairman could no longer be trusted to oversee a free and fair election, effectively passing a vote of no confidence in his role in the process.
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The committee also faulted the disqualification of three contestants, Lucy Ezeliora, Christy Aboghe, and Henry Owere, describing the decision as inconsistent and unjust.
According to the EXCO, the reason cited for their disqualification, based on their affiliation with The Pointer Newspaper, was selectively applied. It noted that journalists from other media organisations have not faced similar restrictions in previous elections.
The statement further referenced the case of Kent Enweliku of The Sun, who, it said, has participated in past electoral processes without such disqualification. It also cited Yvonne Suowari, Chairman of Fresh Angle Chapel and a staff of the Ministry of Information, who was allowed to participate in similar processes without hindrance.
Beyond candidate eligibility, the EXCO described the indefinite postponement of the election as unconstitutional, noting that it was carried out without formal communication through the appropriate channel, particularly the office of the State Acting Secretary, Josephine Omodior.
In a decisive resolution, the ICC EXCO directed its Electoral Committee to fix a new election date within the week and notify the State Council, while copying relevant officers to ensure transparency.
The committee also raised concerns over what it described as attempts to disenfranchise nine financial members of the chapel, insisting that all eligible members must be allowed to participate in the electoral process.
While reaffirming its loyalty to the national leadership of the NUJ under Alhassan Yahaya, the ICC EXCO called for urgent intervention to address the situation and restore confidence in the union’s democratic structures.
The development points to a widening internal rift within the Delta State chapter of the NUJ, with stakeholders warning that failure to resolve the dispute could weaken cohesion within the journalists’ body.
