By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The National Secretary of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists ( NAWOJ) , Comrade Helen Udofia on Saturday disclosed that there is no going back on the election of the Comrade Jadesola Ajibola-led Oyo State executive.
Comrade Udofia who made this known in Ibadan while speaking on a live phone in, Fresh FM 105.9 programme tagged ” The NAWOJ Imbroglio -As the light goes dim” , anchored by Isaac Brown said the election remained irreversible .
The NAWOJ National Secretary pointed out that NAWOJ election is solely guided by Article six(6) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Constitution, and that it was strictly adhered to in the processes that led to Oyo NAWOJ election and inauguration.
According to Comrade Udofia, the report submitted by the Oyo NAWOJ election Credential Committee led by Comrade Morenike Esan, was in line with the laid down rules contrary to insinuations by the disqualified aspirants in the election, saying, ” we found out that some of those disqualified did not have 50% attendance” .
” Out of 24 attendance, one of them has just eight, and such one wants to contest election. How will she lead an association where she doesn’t attend meetings.Some do not pay annual dues to the union, while another one has no professional qualification. One did not even attend congress at all”, she said.
Comrade Udofia added, ” so, we are guided by the constitution as an association . Just like the INEC , if a candidate must contest election, there are guidelines he of she must meet to qualify for the election,”
Speaking further, the NAWOJ National Secretary expressed surprise at the request by the Chairman , Oyo NUJ and some elders of the association in Oyo state asking the NAWOJ National body to set aside the constitution, to allow those disqualified by the screening committee to contest the election.
She emphasized that the request by Oyo NUJ Chairman and some elders of the association was turned down as the new NAWOJ leadership of Comrade Ladi Bala would not do anything against the constitutional.
Comrade Udofia maintained that the current leadership of NAWOJ ” is not only different, but highly committed to upholding the constitution and on that it will stand”.
On why the NAWOJ National officers at the inauguration of Comrade Jadesola Ajibola as the re elected Chairperson and members of her executive conducted it outside the Oyo state NUJ Secretariat on Thursday , Comrade Udofia asked ” why did the NUJ holds its delegates conference outside its National Secretariat” .
She stated that there was nothing wrong in administering oath of office outside the association’s Secretariat but that what really matters ” is the presence of the National officers to supervise the election, saying, the only recognized NAWOJ executive in Oyo state is the Jadesola Ajibola led exco .
She , however, urged all the aggrieved members of the association in Oyo state to put aside their grievances, and joined hands with the Jadesola Ajibola led executive to move the association to greater heights.
