In what could be described as a desperate attempt to seize the structure of the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ to satisfy his re- election ambition, the National President of the NUJ on Thursday, reportedly sent thugs and a few individuals loyal to him to divide the state NUJ by foisting an illegal caretaker committee against the wll and knowledge of members.
Following the external incursions that robbed check- off paying members of their right to exercise their franchise at the state council election in August, the Elders Council , with the knowledge of the President held meetings several times to resolve the impasse.
The council comprising former National Assembly member,commissioners and other veterans of the NUJ had almost found a solution to the problem when the unexpected by the National President in a faceless caretaker committee surfaced and highly resisted.
One of the elders , Ignatius Chukwu who was Secretary and regular at the council’s meetings stated in a piece of advice he captioned
“MY PERSONAL POSITION”
“My dear professional colleagues, friends and brothers of the Pen Fraternity!
BACKGROUND
“I wish to address the NUJ family in my individual capacity as a journalist who goes about this town with each of you, not as a member of the Elders & Veterans Peace Forum. Yes, I was part of a very small team within this platform appealing for peace and seeking a meeting before the elections. This was because we were sure that if some basic agreements were not reached, the election was never going to hold. My small team even put down N2m to offset campaign expenses of both parties to reduce desperation (plus hosting expenses) after peace agreement would have been reached to guarantee successful election.
“This did not work and the election, as we expected, did not hold. My small team (using only me) intensified efforts after this and eventually got them to agree to a meeting. By this time, we got wind of a strong Elders/Veterans Forum which had been meeting and was about to invite the camps. They agreed it was better to merge and thus admitted my team but my small team asked me to represent them there. “The Forum absorbed me and made me secretary.
AM GRAFEUL AND HONOURED
I must first place on record a profound gratitude to my colleagues and the Rivers Journalism Family especially persons from both camps that have shown me great respect. “You have also shown same respect to the Elders Peace Forum and they have appreciated it. Most times, our colleagues on this platform accepted my advice, counsel, guidance, and even admonition.
“MY HUMBLE POSITION
It is clear that there is no way both Mr Stanley and Mr Paul can become chairman of NUJ at the same time. One must win and the other must wait. I have always said that if we do it peacefully, there can be no loser. Some of your agenda can even be integrated as overall working plan. What is important is that NUJ will not be destroyed and that the ones that did not win now would have won many hearts to enable them win next time and to be found worthy of other leadership tasks either in the NUJ or outside. What is important is to acquire more trusted friends in the process of campaigning for power, lose or win.
“The Elders worked very hard to reach a verdict. They sat for days from morning to evening. They made wide consultations even from Govt sources. They listened both officially and privately to both camps to draw what we felt was the best way to end this matter. We presented this to both camps at the NUJ. Both camps later responded with their written positions to the Resolutions. The Forum studied them and was about inviting them for final negotiations when we learnt about the National coming to do only one item on the Resolutions. The Elders have thus started talking with the National on the better way to get a holistic approach that is acceptable to all. I leave the wise men of the Elders Forum to be the ones to brief the NUJ Family when they feel it’s alright, but just to say that they feel sad that their counsel seems not to be wholly accepted but they are still trying some more.
“I as a person believe that what the Elders Forum gave is best way forward. The Action Plan has steps. You either take all or leave all. “Nobody can succeed by taking some and leaving some because each resolution affects the other. You win here, you lose there. So, anybody who wants to only accept where his camp wins and rejects where it loses will not be fair and is not seeking peaceful resolution. What I as a person expected and still expect is a final sitting to negotiate and agree and sign a Final Resolution. Anything other than this may never work.
“I know that each camp has its WAR PLAN which will come into focus any moment from now, especially if the Elders are made irrelevant. But, I assure us that those war plans will take us a very long time and will never resolve this. It will need one to crush the other to succeed. You will win a seat but destroy legs and hearts. At last, you will find that you won seat but lost peace of mind, which will mean you won nothing. The moment we ignore the other steps in the Resolutions and jump to Caretaker Committee, we may not handle what will follow, and nobody may guarantee the outcome, except God. It would have been better we wash the plate before dishing food unto it. If we take any other process, I wish us luck.
“
CONCLUSION:
I am only a messenger. I beg you both to heed the advice of the Elders now before it’s too late. Abuja cannot help us, outsiders cannot help us, and the Courts cannot help us.
I will not be putting mouth in this election matter anymore except at the Elders Forum, if it is still going to be useful. As a person, I won’t anymore. I thank all for the ones you have accepted to this point. Taking advice is a choice.
“Once again, I thank all of you for the wonderful regard shown to my humble person so far. I will continue to give what I have to my colleagues who contact me privately as we go along in life.
God bless NUJ, God bless all Journalists!” He said
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