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…Says Council Constitutionally Empowered to Supervise Chapels’ Elections
The National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has nullified the election recently conducted by the Correspondents Chapel of the Kwara State Council, describing the process as illegal, unconstitutional, and a violation of the Union’s governing rules.
In a letter issued from Abuja on Tuesday and signed by the NUJ National Secretary, Achike Chude, the National Secretariat stated that the election was held without the supervision of the Kwara State Council, contrary to the provisions of the NUJ Constitution.
The Secretariat explained that the Chapel proceeded with the election despite an unresolved disagreement with the State Council over the modalities for the poll — a move it said amounted to a clear breach of the Union’s constitutional guidelines.
“The National Secretariat, therefore, declares the holding of the election into the Correspondents Chapel of the Kwara State Council as illegal, unlawful, and in violation of extant provisions of the NUJ Constitution.
All powers allegedly conferred on the ‘new leadership’ of the Chapel are fictitious and non-existent. The executives that purportedly emerged from that process were not validly chosen and are to desist from parading themselves as such,” the letter stated.
Chude emphasized that the NUJ Constitution clearly vests the supervision of chapel elections in state councils, citing Articles 4(17), 5E(3a), F(5), and 6(6) as legal backing.
He faulted the Chapel for acting unilaterally after submitting its grievances to the National Secretariat, stressing that it should have awaited the Union’s intervention.
“Two wrongs do not make a right. Even if, in the imagination of the Chapel, the Council was wrong, there was no justification for flouting the law on a matter already referred to the National Secretariat for adjudication,” he noted.
The National Secretariat, however, said it remains open to reviewing the concerns earlier raised by the Correspondents Chapel — including issues surrounding member recognition on the NUJ portal — but maintained that such grievances must be addressed strictly within the constitutional framework of the Union.
Chude further clarified that while the Credentials Committee that conducted the disputed election was validly constituted, it would now continue its duties under the administrative and supervisory authority of the Kwara State Council.
He appealed to leaders and elders of the Correspondents Chapel, including the outgoing executives, to cooperate with the National Secretariat in restoring peace and order to the Chapel’s affairs and in facilitating a fresh, constitutionally recognized election process.
