ABUJA- The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has been taken to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, over claims of violating its 2023 constitution (as amended). The case, filed by Mr. Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, a member of the union and participant in the upcoming 8th Triennial National Delegates Conference in Owerri, Imo State, is challenging the recent actions of the NUJ leadership.
Mr. Adubi argues that the NUJ National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on August 9, 2024, lacked the authority to extend the tenure of the Central Working Committee (CWC), whose three-year mandate is set to expire on October 6, 2024. He bases his claim on Article 5(a)(3) of the NUJ Constitution, which stipulates that the Triennial National Delegates Conference must occur every three years to review reports, revise the constitution, address policy issues, and elect new officers.
The current CWC, led by Chris Isiguzo, was elected on October 7, 2021, and is set to vacate office on October 6, 2024. However, Mr. Adubi asserts that Mr. Isiguzo, also named as a respondent in the case, has attempted to extend the committee’s tenure in violation of the NUJ Constitution. In his suit, the claimant’s lawyer, Mr. Ibrahim Bawa, SAN, argues that such an extension is unconstitutional and represents an attempt by the current leadership to cling to power.
Mr. Adubi, a practicing journalist from Kaduna, is asking the court to dissolve the CWC and enforce the provisions of the NUJ Constitution. He also challenges the union’s failure to establish a Credentials Committee three months before the CWC’s tenure expiration, as mandated by Article 5(9)(a) of the NUJ Constitution. This committee is responsible for verifying the financial standing of registered delegates before the conference, but according to Mr. Adubi, it was not formed as required by July 6, 2024.
In addition to seeking the dissolution of the Credentials Committee, Mr. Adubi is contesting the imposition of a ₦350,000 fee for nomination forms for the office of NUJ President and other CWC aspirants, describing it as exorbitant. He argues that the failure to comply with constitutional guidelines has created a crisis within the union.
The claimant is asking the court to authorize NUJ Council Chairmen and Secretaries to take over the union’s affairs from October 6, 2024, and organize elections within three months, ensuring a fair playing field for all aspiring members.
