The delegates’ list released on Monday by the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) through the Electoral Screening Committee of the Kwara State Council for the Kwara NUJ election, scheduled for July 31, 2024, has sparked controversy and outrage among members.
Several chapels of the Union have disowned the members’ list credited to them, saying most of the names are ‘imported’ and do not represent their bonafide members.
While the names of several bonafide members, including the name of the Chairman of a Chapel, are conspicuously missing on the list, it was gathered that many strange names found their ways into the list.
Chairman of the Information Chapel, Adamu Usman, expressed confusion, stating, “Here’s the original list sent to the National Secretariat, signed by the chairman and secretary respectively. I don’t understand where this list you pasted came from.”
Another member of the Information Chapel criticized the Credentials Committee, saying, “It is so unfortunate that the Credentials Committee, led by Ahmed Alaye, has stooped so low as to alter the State Information Chapel Eligible List.”
The Executive members of the State Information Chapel have disowned the doctored list, calling on the Credentials Committee to withdraw the “dishonest list” as it does not represent the Chapel’s position.
Chairman of the Unilorin Chapel, Tajudeen Babamale, pleaded, “Please help, my members want to kill me! The names of financial members have been replaced with non-financial members. Credentials Committee, please bail me out!”
A member of the Credentials Committee, Mosunmola Ayobami, also expressed shock, stating, “I am as surprised as you are. A lot of names pasted by the Secretary of the committee are ‘imported.’ The lists do not represent anything the committee I am part of worked on. So astonishing! Too bad!”
In a statement posted on WhatsApp and jointly signed by its chairman, Abdulhakeem Garba, and secretary, Kayode Abdulazeez, the Correspondents’ Chapel addressed the Screening Committee, stating, “This is to let you know that the leadership of the Correspondents’ Chapel has gone through the pasted list of eligible voters in the forthcoming Council election and we are hereby informing you that the list does not reflect the true list we submitted and paid for. We reserve our stand until our official communication to the concerned authority. The Chapel will communicate its position on this matter at the appropriate time.”