The National President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists, Asabe Baba Nahaya, was on Friday evening chased out of the IBB Pen House, the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Minna, Niger State.
Nahaya was in Minna to inaugurate the newly-elected executive members of NAWOJ in the state when a man (name withheld) said he was instructed by the state Chairman of the NUJ, Iliya Garba, to ask everybody out of the secretariat.
Nahaya, while reacting to the ill-treatment meted to her and the entire NAWOJ by Garba, said: “I was a state chairman of the NUJ (Gombe State), I have been a national executive member of the NUJ and today I am the national president of NAWOJ.
“I have never seen or heard of this before.
“I am surprised that the NUJ chairman would instruct somebody to lock me out or send me out of Press Centre.
“We even came under the tree with plastic chairs to conduct the inauguration since the centre has been locked on the instructions of the chairman, whom I had informed I was coming.
“The man still came and was removing the chairs, taking them away.
“I spoke with Iliya on the phone two days ago.
“I told the NUJ national secretary about the inauguration and he said it is noted.”
Nahaya however said she heard that an earlier plan was on to inaugurate the executive members but insisted that the national body must be on ground because there should not be inauguration of two parties.
She added: “But I heard Iliya went ahead to conduct the inauguration, which is not in line with NAWOJ constitution.
“I tried to reach Mr. Iliya more than three times, he didn’t pick.
“I sent him SMS and he also didn’t reply.
“I am surprised now to hear this man telling us that he was instructed by the NUJ chairman to drive us away and that he is going to call the police.”
The NAWOJ president, after inaugurating the elected executive members led by the state Chairperson, Mary Jalingo, who was sworn in by Awonusi Motunrayo Olapeju, with Gavers Ihematulam from Lord of Justice Chambers in Minna, informed journalists: “As far as NAWOJ is concerned, we don’t have any faction in Niger State.
“I came here with other national officers.
“We are fully aware that an electoral committee was inaugurated at the IBB Pen House, they did their work, all notices were on air, it was at the notice boards of all media houses.
“By the grace of God, we are here to inaugurate the executive of this state chapter after their elections.
“So, you see there is no faction in Niger State, even though I find the absence and harassment of the NUJ executive in Niger as disturbing.
“It is unfortunate that I can be so harassed by my own brother in the profession.
“This is Press Centre.
“Any card carrying member has access to the NUJ Centre anytime and any day.
“NAWOJ is a reputable body.
“He (Iliya) is not taking my calls, but today we have an executive on ground sworn in by the constituted law on ground.
“I am telling the people of Niger and indeed Nigerians that the executive led by Mary Jalingo is the authentic and only recognised one as far as our constitution is concerned.
“I came here with national officers from Abuja, Gombe, Kaduna, Nassarawa, Kogi and Benue States.
“As far as I am concerned, this is the authentic association on ground.
“I am hearing that an inauguration championed the state NUJ chairman held, but I can tell you that it is only the national secretariat and the national executives of the association that is guided by law to inaugurate a executives in state chapters of the federation.”
Members of the NUJ were earlier warned and threatened by the NUJ state chairman not to enter the secretariat, cover or report the inauguration.
At the presentation of the electoral committee report, the Chairperson, Veronica Gata, who is also the state Treasurer of the NUJ, said that the electoral process leading to the election of the candidates was fair and transparent.
According to Gata, who was represented by Mercy Osajiugo: “We went on a sensitization and mobilization exercise to all chapels to inform them about the process of the election and there was cooperation from all chapels.”
In her acceptance speech, the newly elected Chairperson, Jalingo, disclosed that NAWOJ in Niger State does not have any faction adding: “We are a happy big family.
“Some members are not here right now because of the nature of our job.”
Other members of the state executive include Habiba Dauda as Secretary and Felicia Ibrahim as Financial Secretary.
It should be recalled that on Wednesday, a faction of the association led by Hajiya Halima Bawa was inaugurated and sworn in by Barrister Isiaku Usman under the supervision of Garba.
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