The national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has nullified the creation of the Broadcast Correspondents’ Chapel in the Ogun State Council of the NUJ, describing it as alien to the union’s constitution.
The NUJ Vice President (B Zone), Comrade Cosmos Oni, conveyed the union’s decision in a letter addressed to the NUJ chairman and secretary in Ogun State.
The Broadcast Correspondents’ Chapel was purportedly inaugurated recently in Abeokuta, the state capital, amidst controversy.
Following a clearance letter written by the state Correspondents’ Chapel, the NUJ national leadership nullified the newly created ‘Broadcast Correspondents’ Chapel’, saying such a body was not known to the union’s constitution.
The NUJ national body, therefore, declared the broadcast chapel “null and void” and directed its Ogun State Council to reverse its purported creation of such a chapel with immediate effect.
It also ordered the state council to immediately withdraw NUJ identity cards from the members of the abolished chapel, whose respective organisations had not been unionised.
Oni said, “The said ‘Broadcast Correspondents Chapel’ is alien to the union’s constitution, hence, it’s not recognised by the union.
“Sequel to this, you are hereby directed to reverse the decision with immediate effect. The said chapel is hereby declared null and void; hence status quo should remain at the chapel.”
While affirming the indivisibility of the Correspondents Chapel, the NUJ vice president noted that Article 5 (G) (2) of the union’s constitution clearly stated who should belong to the chapel.
He reiterated that those whose organisations had not been unionised in the scrapped chapel should not to possess the identity card of the NUJ, adding, “If any of them has it, it is fraudulently processed and should be retrieved with immediate effect.”
