By Omotayo Toyeeb
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday, October 18, 2024, commenced hearing a lawsuit challenging the alleged illegal tenure extension of the Chris Isiguzo-led Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
The case, brought forward by a concerned NUJ member from the Kaduna Council, Abdulwaheed Adubi, was mentioned for the first time in Court 3, presided over by Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae.
The matter has been adjourned until November 12, 2024, following an agreement between the litigant’s Counsel, Mr. Sarafa Yusuff, and the defendants’ Counsel, Mr. Patrick Ediale.
Yusuff, standing in for Mr. Ibrahim Bawa, SAN, stated in court that he intends to move a pending application for an injunction on November 12, stressing that all necessary notices and documents had been served to the defendants.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Yusuff asserted that since the defendants were duly represented in court, they had no excuse to ignore the ongoing legal process.
He emphasized that any action by the NUJ or Chris Isiguzo related to the scheduled elections would be seen as an intentional attempt to undermine the court’s authority.
Adubi, through his counsel, is asking the court to interpret the provisions of the NUJ Constitution regarding the tenure of the CWC, which was elected on October 7, 2021.
According to the NUJ Constitution, the tenure of the Isiguzo-led leadership expired on October 6, 2024.
However, Adubi is challenging the constitution of the Credentials Committee for the 8th Triennial Delegates Conference by the National Executive Committee (NEC), less than three months before the end of their tenurean action he claims violates the union’s constitution.
Adubi’s suit also seeks to determine whether the NEC has the authority to extend the tenure of the CWC under the NUJ Constitution.
He argues that this legal move is necessary to curb what he describes as “executive rascality and recklessness” by Isiguzo, who allegedly has disregarded constitutional provisions in managing the affairs of the union.
This lawsuit, seen as a significant challenge to the leadership of the NUJ, has sparked concern among union members who are eager to see how the court interprets the union’s constitutional provisions on tenure and executive authority.
