A 9-member Credentials Committee has been inaugurated for the forthcoming National Triennial Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), coming up in November 2023.
The Committee has Comrade Michael Ikeogwu, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, representing the NUJ, as Chairman, with Ruth Tene of the FCT Council, representing NAWOJ, as Secretary.
Other members of the Committee are Hannatu Mohammed, representing Zone A; Tola Gbadamosi, representing B Zone; Patience Ogujiofor, representing Zone C; Hadeezah Lamido, representing Zone D; Pauline Kuje Vana, representing Zone E; Grace Orunmieyefa, representing Zone F; and Abba Murtala, Secretary, Kano State Council, representing the NUJ.
While inaugurating the Committee during an online meeting, Thursday, September 28, 2023, on Zoom platform, the President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Chris Isiguzo, MFR, said the Committee will midwife the process that will lead to the National Triennial Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Association of women Journalists (NAWOJ).
According to a press statement by
Helen Udofa, National Secretary, he informed the Committee that the only booklet to regulate the discharge of its functions is the NUJ Constitution, from the beginning to the end, saying, “There’s no other document you will be using from anywhere. It is the NUJ Constitution”.
The NUJ President noted that the incumbent national leadership of NAWOJ was inaugurated on November 15, 2020, and being a 3-year cycle, the lifespan of the executive will end on November 15, 2023, when the National Triennial Delegates Conference of NAWOJ is expected to take place.
Mr. Isiguzo announced that the venue for 2023 National Triennial Delegates Conference of NAWOJ is the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, adding that the Delegates’ list for the Conference is the list used during the last National National triennial Delegates Conference of the NUJ, which took place in Umuahia, Abia State, to be made available to the Committee by the NUJ National Secretariat.
He announced further that the venue for the screening of contestants and all activities of the Credentials Committee, leading to the Delegates Conference, will be the NUJ National Secretariat in Abuja.
The NUJ President warned the Committee that the NUJ National Secretariat will not tolerate any attempt to undermine the process leading to the NAWOJ National Delegates Conference.
He promised that the NUJ National Secretariat will give the Committee all the needed support to enable it deliver on its mandate and charged the Committee members to ensure the credibility of the process by doing what is right towards ensuring that NAWOJ remains a united and formidable body that caters for the welfare of female journalists in Nigeria.
Responding on behalf of the Committee members, the Chairman, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu, expressed profound gratitude to the national leadership of the NUJ and that of NAWOJ for deeming them fit to be elected to serve in the Committee.
Comrade Ikeogwu said it was the earnest desire of the Committee to have a hitch-free election, assuring that they will try their best to ensure that the regulations guiding the NUJ election, which will be deployed for the NAWOJ election, will be strictly adhered to.
In addition, he gave the assurance that the guidelines given to the Committee will be strictly followed, with a promise that they will work hard to deliver on the Committee’s mandate, within the time frame it has been given.
