The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has directed its members to ignore the impeached council Chairman, Patrick Osadebamwen and Secretary, Ochiaka Ugwu, respectively, asking journalists to disregard the activities of the credentials committee to elect a new executive on December 4, 2024.
The FCT State Executive Council of the NUJ on Friday in a statement, advised members to disregard a boycott order issued by the ousted duo of Osadebamwen and Ugwu, who it asserted lack the locus to issue such a directive as their impeachment had been endorsed by the state congress and NUJ national secretariat.
In a joint statement signed by chapel chairman and secretaries of nine chapels, the SEC accused the ousted duo of spreading false information to undermine preparations for the chapter elections to choose new leaders.
The SEC emphasized that the sale of nomination forms for various elective positions by the 3-man credentials committee headed by Henry Umoru, is in line with the NUJ constitution.
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“The credentials committee operates under the constitution and has been cleared by the national secretariat. It is independent of state and national officers, as stipulated in Article 5 (9C),” the SEC said.
It clarified that Osadebamwen and Ugwu were impeached during a congress held on October 19, 2024, and have no legal standing to act in any manner on behalf of the union, and urged members interested in contesting positions to obtain nomination forms from the council’s Secretariat in Utako, Abuja, starting November 8.
Furthermore, the council dismissed the boycott directive from the impeached individuals as baseless, describing their actions as “illegitimate, illegal, and void,” just as it reassured members of their safety, and to discharge their obligations to the union without any fear of intimidation.
“We will not engage in public exchanges or inflammatory rhetoric, despite provocations,” the SEC stated, reaffirming its focus on protecting the union’s integrity, unity and adherence to the NUJ constitution.
