Directs Edo NUJ Chair Osakwe to implement decision urgently
The National Leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) has upheld the reports of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the Council, saying the state Congress erred in the purported suspension of nine members and impeachment of the state Secretary over allegation of diversion of N5m meant for the Union in the state.
A letter dated November 7, 2017, signed by the The National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman and addressed to the state chairman said the reversal became necessary after examining critically the report of the Committee and minutes of the meeting of the Congress forwarded to the national secretariat of the NUJ.
The letter mandated the state Council Chairman to ensure that the Secretary, Mr Alemma Ozioruva Aliu resume and be given unhindered and unrestricted access to his office with effect from the 7th November, 2017.
According to the statement, “We have studied your report and have gone through the minutes of your Congress which held on the 24th October, 2017. We have also carefully studied the report of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.
” The National President has directed that you implement the following recommendations of the Ethics and Disciplnary Committee forthwith:
” (1) That the suspension your Congress clamped down on the nine members of the Union is lifted and you are to ensure compliance.
The nine are:
A Tony Osauzo
B Adibe Emenyonu
C Cajetan Nmuta
D Ehis Igbaugba
E Aliu Alemma Ozioruva
F Otabor Friday
G Adekunbi Ero
H Simon Ebegbulem
I Patrick Ochoga
” (2) The impeachment of the Council Secretary, Aliu Alemma Ozioruva is also reversed and you are to ensure he has unrestricted access to his office” among other recommendations.
It will be recalled that the Edo State Congress of the Union had earlier claimed through one of its sittings that it has suspended and impeached the State Secretary and eight other members without giving them the opportunity to be heard by referring the allegations to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee which is the most powerful committee as it begins and ends its tenure with the exco and can only be dissolved by the NEC of the Union.
The G9 as they were later to be known petitioned the National Secretariat of the NUJ alleging undue treatment and the resolve by some unscrupulous elements in the state Council to malign their hard earned characters and reputation which they believe is out of sheer mischief, envy and diabolical machinations.
The National leadership haven received the petition instructed the state Council through Chairman to refer the matter to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee to enable it look into the allegation raised and submit her report within a stipulated time.
The Ethics and Disciplnary Committee headed by humble but principle Hameed Braimah.
Haven received written submissions coupled with oral presentations by the falsely accused nine members, the committee in their report to the National Secretariat said that the allegation against the nine could not be proved by the petitioners; namely a former chairman of the Council who was removed unceremoniously few years ago Ralph Okhiria and a former secretary who was roundly defeated by the incumbent in the last election, Titus Akhigbe and then recommended that the suspension of the nine members and the impeachment of the Secretary be reversed .