NUJ Concludes Revalidation Exercise For Ogun Journalists Ahead Of Council Poll

ABEOKUTA - The National secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has concluded registration and revalidation exercise for journalists in Ogun state ahead of its forthcoming union election in the state.

THE ENCOUNTER NEWS report that, crisis engulfed the union in the state following leadership tussle over who controls the affairs of the council in Ogun state.

The three years legal battle has been laid to rest following the intervention of the National President, Mr. Chris Isiguzo and some past chairmen of the union in the state.

Speaking after the four-day revalidation exercise, the chairman of the screening committee, Barr. Demola Badejo thanked members of the union in the state for turning out enthusiastically and conducting themselves in peaceful manner.

Badejo, a former Chairman of the union in the state and retired Permanent Secretary said with the peaceful exercise, the seemingly intractable crisis rocking the union has been finally laid to rest.

He assured members of the union of the committee's resolve to present credible list of qualified journalists in the state.

He said the screening exercise was done to also identify eligible journalists qualified to vote and be voted for in the coming NUJ election in the state.

He maintained that, the authentic list would be released in few weeks for members who have claims and objections to signify interest before the election in order to avoid another crisis that may affect the smooth transition of the new NUJ leadership.

"We thank God that the seemingly intractable crisis in Ogun State NUJ has finally been laid to rest. We have had solid support and cooperation of all the chapels of the council. From what we have seen, there's no doubt we are on the right path with the enthusiastic nature of members, for us to come up with a credible list of those who are qualify to partake in the election.

"We are doing our best to come up with an authentic list of members who can vote and be voted for. The result will be pasted for members to have claims and objections so that members can challenge the list. 

"We want to assure you of credible election. As publicized officially the screening ends today (last Friday). The committee has been liberal and because of the peculiarity of the job, we have ensured we accommodate some of our members who could not make the stipulated date. Thereafter, we shall sit to look at the forms submitted appropriately by each member, after which we shall set time table for election," Barr. Badejo averred.

Badejo stressed that the committee would build electronic database for the council at the end of the exercise, urging all registered journalists to pay their annual practicing fee to the union.

"The issue of ID card, the committee receives a formal letter concerning that, but it is a constitutional matter. Article 4, under finance (1a) stipulates that "a member of the union shall pay 2% of his/her basic monthly salary through the check-off system, such a member shall, in addition, pay an annual N2,000 practicing few.

"Section (1c), of the Constitution position, states that those who cannot pay check-off would pay a sum of N10,000. The National secretariat has been magnanimous and has asked us to pay N5,000 for the three years to be issued an ID Card. We want to build a database for the council. We need discipline in NUJ, members should pay their practicing fee monthly."

The revalidation exercise was supervised by the NUJ Vice President, Zone B, Mrs. Ronke Sanusi, the zonal Secretary, former Ogun NUJ Chairman, Chief Lai Labode, former Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission, Chief Eddy Aina, and the Towulade of Akinale, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye.