Uneasy calm in Kwara NUJ as Council Polls Proceeds Despite Legal Challenge
KEHINDE EMMANUEL ilorin
Despite a summons by the National Industrial Court concerning the Kwara Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) elections, the National Secretariat of the Union has decided to proceed with the election as planned today.
The court’s decision followed a petition filed by Fadeyi Babajide and Saka Laaro, accusing the immediate past chairman, Abdulateef Ahmed, and the chairman of the credentials committee, Badamosi Abdul-Hameed Alaiye, of manipulating the list of eligible voters.
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The summons, an 88-page document, named several individuals ordered to appear before the court, including the Chairman of the credentials committee Abdulhameed Alaye, Secretary of the credentials committee, Sulaiman Jimoh Gobir, National President of the Union, Chris Isiguzo, his secretary, Achike Chude, and the National Vice President in charge of Zone D, Kris Atsaka.
The claimants sought an order to restrain the election officials from conducting or supervising the election, pending the court’s determination of their petition. They also called for the court to set aside the poll, citing allegations of fraud and malpractices in the preparation for the election.
Despite the legal challenge, National Vice President Kris Atsaka and National Financial Secretary Samuel Dada insisted that the election must go on after communicating with the National Secretariat of the union.
The summons referenced a 2022 judgment from the National Industrial Court, which ruled that the National President of the NUJ and his executive had no authority to clear or disqualify candidates.
The decision to proceed with the election amidst these allegations and legal proceedings sparked a controversy as some members of the union protested the decision but were overwhelmed by the police who took control of the situation before it escalated into chaos.
