Enugu State govt and factionalism of NUJ in the State
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The ugly incidence at Enugu Press Center on Saturday, May 18, which unfortunately led to the evacuation of COVID -19 pandemic palliatives brought by the Enugu state government for journalists in the state, out of the press center from all indication exposed the lingering crack in the Enugu state council of the union and the union’s state of affairs of the state with the state government.
The State government palliative committee headed by the deputy Governor,Hon Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo, ably represented by the leader of Enugu state house of assembly, Hon Emeka Ezeugwu, with the state commissioner for information,Hon Chidi Aroh, Hon Geoffrey Mbah, representing Oji River constituency, among others, had given adequate publicity to the envisaged sharing of the government’s palliatives to journalists in the state at the Nigeria Union of Journalist[NUJ] Enugu state Council arena,located at No 4 Rangers,avenue,Independence layout Enugu, the previous day. Therefore, it was not surprising that the Journalists turned up in their hundreds. But their dreams of going home with parts and parcel of the palliatives turned out a mirage, as dialogue on how to share the palliatives among the Journalists between the Enugu state NUJ EXCO led by Comrade Rex Arum and the palliative committee went into deadlock over arguments to recognize the existence of a faction of NUJ within the Council.Where as Rattawu peacefully took the packs allotted to them.
The State commissioner for information Hon Chidi Aroh,earlier stressed that the committee has not come to delve in the State NUJ internal wranglings but have a duty to ensure that all Journalists in the state benefit from the palliatives as the state government’s own contribution to cushion the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their welfare.
The AUTHORITY South East post checks revealed that prior to the sharing date,Saturday ,May 18, the palliative committee and the state NUJ EXCO never sat together to brainstorm on how the palliatives would be shared to accommodate all.
The suggestion of Comrade Rex Arum led NUJ Enugu state EXCO to take over the distribution of the palliatives among the Chapels was rejected by some group of journalists who have their loyalty to Comrade Petrus Obi,the elected National Vice Chairman, in charge of Zone Comprising Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Anambra and Imo state councils of the union,but who currently is suspended by the National executive of the Union led by Comrade Chris Isiguzo,over alleged anti union affairs.
However, Comrade Obi is challenging his suspension at Industrial Court Abuja, also with claims that Comrade Chris Isiguzo is not qualified to be elected President of Nigeria Union of Journalists.
With the unresolved impasse on how to share the portion of Government palliatives, the state commissioner for information,Hon Chidi Aroh, said the palliative committee took a decision to withhold the NUJ portion of the palliatives, as a measure to control the chaotic situation.
Mixed feelings and reactions had since trailed the ugly incidence from within and outside the state,especially from men of the pen profession. Many expressed the view that if the palliative committee had succeeded in sharing the palliatives within the NUJ press center without the guide of the state NUJ EXCO, it will be tantamount to the claim that the state government does not recognize the constituted and elected Enugu state NUJ EXCO led by Comrade Rex Arum.
But the fears allayed by Comrade Petrus Obi was that members of his acclaimed faction would not be accommodated by the Comrade Rex Arum led state council if handed over to them. Comrade Obi had since opened an acclaimed faction of NUJ at both state council level and the Correspondents’ chapel level even as suite against National leadership of the union is pending at Industrial court Abuja.;
The AUTHORITY checks revealed that the whole lot of cold war existence of two fractions and any other ,internal bickering within Nigerian Union of Journalists in Enugu can be described as a fallout of the lingering Union’s political indifference between NUJ President Comrade Chris Isiguzo,Comrade Petrus Obi,the elected Zonal Vice President, ZoneC, but currently on suspension and Comrade Mrs Chibota Edozie,who was once elected Zonal ChairLady of National Association of Women Journalists [ NAWOJ], but also currently on suspension.
The trio who belonged to the Correspondents’ chapel and automatically Enugu state council of NUJ, had enjoyed the support of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state to win their elections. But sooner than after, both Comrade Petrus Obi and Comrade Mrs Chibota Edozie, are appointing accusing fingers on Comrade Chris Isiguzo to have masterminded their suspension.
The acclaimed recognition of the faction established by them at government functions stems on the state government policy to accommodate all working journalists in Enugu state in it’s welfare package,as against Nigeria Union of Journalist’s policy not to accommodate those on suspension on it’s dealings.
