The National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has suspended three members from all union activities indefinitely for dragging the Bauchi State Council of the NUJ to court over election matters.
The suspended members, as stated in a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Tuesday, are Abdulwahab Muhammad, Garba Kabiru Abubakar, and Fatima Danjuma Idris.
According to the communiqué signed by the National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman , three members of the Bauchi State Council took the union to court over the council election without first exhausting internal mechanisms for resolving disputes.
The National Secretary stated that they were suspended indefinitely from the Union in line with the Constitution (Articles 7, 2, and VI).
The meeting, attended by National Officers and Council Officials, resolved that members of the Union are enjoined to be conversant with the provisions of the Union’s Constitution by studying it to understand the various provisions, guiding them against any infraction.
The NEC in session also frowned at members who were absent from the meeting without cogent reasons and consequently resolved to query the affected persons.
It was also resolved that state councils and zones must submit their meeting communiqués to the National Secretariat for scrutiny before making them public.
This is to forestall the proliferation of statements on critical issues from the Union.
Furthermore, zonal offices need the approval of the National Secretariat before convening meetings, while defaulting vice presidents will be duly sanctioned in line with the Constitution.
The NEC resolved that no Council should sign any agreement or memorandum of understanding (MoU) nor lease out any property of the union without the consent and approval of the National Secretariat in line with the Constitution (Article 4, 4(a)).
The NEC resolved that national trustees from every zone should take periodic inventory of the union’s properties at their respective councils as provided in the Constitution (Article 4, 4(a)).
Additionally, official vehicles branded with the union’s logo and inscriptions should be used only for official purposes, and when used otherwise, approval should be sought from the National Secretariat.
It was also resolved that any chapel that fails to remit dues to the National Secretariat through its respective state council would be sanctioned.
On national issues, the NEC resolved that the federal and state governments should take more pragmatic steps to address the rising cases of insecurity in the country.
The NUJ will fully support the NLC position regarding the agitation for a minimum wage and palliatives to mitigate the current hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidies.
It was further resolved that the federal government should address the poor state of some federal roads in the south-west, south-east, and other parts of the country.
The NEC also expressed concern about the exorbitant increase in the tuition fees of federal tertiary institutions amidst the current economic challenges.
The NEC urged the Minister of Education to prevail on the Federal Institutions to reverse such policies, which have generated wide criticism.
The NEC also approved the ongoing process of recruiting a new National Secretary for the Union, with a directive to the National Secretariat to set up a committee to interview shortlisted candidates.
