The President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo on Wednesday pardoned three members of Edo State Council of the union, with a caution to ‘go and sin no more’.

They are members of the immediate past State Working Committee (SWC) are, Comrades Roland Osakue, Titus Akhigbe, and Osaretin Emokpae who served as Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of Edo State Council of the union respectively, between December 19, 2018 and December 17, 2021

Isiguzo who made the proclamation at an enlarged Congress of Edo NUJ presided over by the Chairman of the council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, prayed the Council to forgive whatever infraction they may have committed against the union and reprimanded a member of the union, Comrade Magdalene Odigie who was alleged to have assaulted the State Secretary, Comrade Andy Egbon.

The former SWC members had appeared before the 5-man Audit Committee that was duly constituted by the State Council’s Congress of January 19, 2022, to look into the finances of the union during their tenure of office and missing property of the Council.

However, the Committee was yet to submit its audit report to the Congress, which had earlier deferred deliberation on the report of the Committee that was set up at the last Congress to look into the case of alleged assault by the Secretary of the Council.

The NUJ President clarified that that it is only the National Executive Council (NEC) of NUJ, that has power to suspend any member of the Council based on recommendation of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the State Council .

He commended the leadership of Edo NUJ for fulfilling its electoral promises and urged the executive to guide against distractions.

According to him, “Elections have come and gone…You are not expected to chase an imaginary enemies when you have come out of an election.

“He that is down knows no fear…It is the man that is up that you bring down. The winners and losers in that elections are here. It goes to show that the Council is together.

“You can do without any other Committee in NUJ, but you cannot do without Ethics and Disciplinary Committee. What the office of the Attorney-General is to the State, is what the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee is to the NUJ, which is the only Committee that is constitutionally recognised by the constitution of the union.

“Let bye gone be bye gone…If you deride your leaders, you are deriding the entire members of the union.

Earlier, the State Chairman of the union, Comrade Festus Alenkhe thanked the President of the union who also witnessed the setting up the 5-man Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, which was immediately handed over a petition written by Comrade Suyi Ayodele against the former Secretary of the State Council, Comrade Titus Akhigbe.

Membership of the Committee are Comrade Eubadus Enahoro, Chairman; Josephine Erhinmwinhe, Secretary;
Ferdinand Osakwe, member;
Francis Akhigbe, member and Nekpen Maureen Nwine, also as member.

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