By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON, Kaduna.
The embattled Kaduna Council Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Garba Mohammad has on Monday in Kaduna, confirmed his resolve to drag the union to court over illegal impeachment in September, 2016 while on a Holy pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
“Yes, we are already preparing all necessary papers for court action after exhausting all efforts to resolve the lingering illegal impeachment.
“Such illegal actions will be challenged in a competent court of jurisdictions, with a view to seeking justice and bringing sanity in our great union that has been hijacked by very few selfish individuals,” he said.
The allegations leveled against the embattled chairman are that, he traveled without proper handing over to the vice chairman, removal of council file cheaque book and his official car to his house as well as refusal to approve fund for delegation to a national unity conference in Abeokuta.
Mr Muhammed added that, there has not been any investigation or a white paper indicting him of the unfounded allegations , “and yet the desperate factional members of the State Working Committee in connivance with the National leadership still went ahead to constitute an illegal electoral committee without ratification of State Executive Council and the State Congress to declare one Adamu Yusuf as new chairman.”
Adamu Yusuf of the Federal Radio corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) emerged the new Chairman of the Kaduna council.
Yusuf who until his election was the Nasarawa State correspondents of FRCN as well as the former chairman of FRCN NUJ chapel.
He emerged as the only candidate who vied for the position following the “impeachment” of the former Chairman Comrade Garba Muhammad.
The electoral committee chairman and a former council chairman, Mr Andrew Fadasan upon presentation of certificate of return to the new chairman after taking the oath of office and allegiance charged him to uphold the ethics of the profession and the constitution of the union.
In his acceptance speech, assured to immediately set up a reconciliatory committee that will reconcile all the aggrieved members and do all that it takes to move the council forward.
“I assure you that I will operate an open door policy, I will entertain constructive criticism that is geared towards moving the council forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Caretaker Committee of the Council , has expressed dismay over the purported bye-election.
Secretary of the Committee Bello Hamza, in a press statement , while condemning the action said the bye election is illegal null and avoid and cannot be recognized.
” Conducting a bye election under the SWC that has been ousted through vote of no confidence by an congress in December, 2016, is a violation of the constitutional provision of the NUJ.
” The emergency congress dissolved all the SWC through vote of no confidence after failing to call for a meeting for over three months.
“The congress appointed Austin Ayembe of NTA as Caretaker Chairman and Bello Hamza of Almizan as Secretary to oversee the affairs of the union and organize fresh election into all seven offices of the SWC,” he said.
He called on members to remain calm and as the committee make effort to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, following his emergence as new Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Council, Alhaji Adamu Yusuf of the Federal Radio corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) has unveiled his grandiose plan for the council which include bringing together every qualified journalists under one peaceful umbrella among others.
Yusuf who until his election as Council’s Chairman was the former Chairman of FRCN chapel, emerged as the only candidate who vied for the vacant position following the impeachment of the former Chairman Comrade Garba Muhammad few months ago.
Addressing colleagues shortly after his inauguration in Kaduna on Monday, the new chairman said, it will be priority of his leadership to ensure optimal peace and sustained unity which ascertain the philosophical underpinning of unionism.
According to him, “I intend to set up a reconciliatory committee which will be mandated to reconcile all those who felt aggrieved in one way or the other in the interest of the council.
“Similarly, my leadership will make strident efforts to ensure discipline between and among our esteemed members. Gone are the days when someone attends a function as journalist with slippers. Gone are the days when when a reporter will appear drunk or dirty in the oace of work and elsewhere. Gone are the days when when a reporter will uses social media to abuse the ethical and pragmatic values of our dignified profession, especially doing so without valid facts or figures.
“Henceforth, any form of improper dressing to assignments and every activities of quacks will be appropriately checkmated”, he reiterated.
He then solicited for prayers and support from the members as he pilot the affairs of the council between now and the next council elections in 2018.
Earlier, the Chairman, Credentials Screening Committee and a former council Chairman, Mr Andrew Fadason upon presentation of certificate of return to the new chairman after taking the oath of office and allegiance, charged him to uphold the ethics of the profession and the constitution of the union.
