The crisis rocking the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has deepened, as the Correspondents’ Chapel has again severed its relationship with the Council over the suspension of its Secretary, Mosunmola Ayobami, and two other Council members.
The latest development follows the suspension of the three journalists at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Jigawa State two weeks ago, a decision the Correspondents’ Chapel described as unlawful.
The Chapel announced the fresh decision recently at its Congress held at the Chapel Secretariat in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, directing members to strictly comply with the resolutions.
The Congress resolved that, “until the unlawful suspension is reversed, Chapel members will not attend any event organised at the Council or treat, or use any story emanating from the Council and the duo of Abdulateef Ahmed and Yinka Alaya, Council Chairman and Secretary respectively.”
The Chapel also resolved that any member who flouted the directives would face severe sanctions.
It further warned members against taking stories from the Council Chairman and Secretary or inviting members to assignments on behalf of the Council or the two officials.
“Moreover, any member who takes any story from both the Council Chairman and Secretary or invites members to any assignment on proxy for the Council or the individuals earlier mentioned will be sanctioned,” the Congress said.
The Chapel urged its members to ensure strict compliance with the resolutions, saying the measures were necessary to curb what it described as “the era of impunity” by the Council leadership.
“Members of the Chapel are therefore enjoined to ensure strict compliance with these directives in their own interests and to ensure that the era of impunity by the Council leadership is nipped in the bud,” it added.
The latest face-off marks another breakdown in relations between the Correspondents’ Chapel and the Kwara NUJ Council, coming amid the continuing controversy over the circumstances surrounding the suspension of the three Council members at the NEC meeting in Jigawa.
The suspended members include the Correspondents’ Chapel Secretary, Mosunmola Ayobami, while the circumstances surrounding the NEC action and the allegations against the affected officials have continued to generate reactions within the union.
