The National Industrial Court sitting in Makurdi, Capital of Benue State has ordered the State Commissioner of Police to effect the arrest of the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Chris Isiguzo, and other Executive members including the National Secretary, Leman Shuaib and the Vice President Zone D, Mr. Wilson Bako over what it described as the contempt of Court.
NATIONAL PANEL learnt that at the Court, Bemdoo Ubger who purportedly won the said election through his lawyer had sought to be joined as a defendant which angered the presiding judge, Justice I.J. Essien who described him as ‘illegal’ chairman.
Others to be arrested were those that emerged as winners as well as the chairman of credentials committee, Chris Apuu, Secretary, James shim while the immediate past Acting chairman of the council, Comrade Kajo Martins was however, let off the hook for comply with the order of the court by staying away from the said election.
“You this illegal chairman man, after flouting my order, you have the gust to appear before this court seeking to be joined as a defendant. You are not leaving this court to your house but to the prison.
“How would society be if people at this level of insecurity chose to promote anarchy. All that won in that election are hereby committed to prison on till the next adjournment."
Justice Essien, therefore, ordered Mr. Ugber to handover any property of the union in his position to the Interim Caretaker Committed led by Comrade Steven Ijoh and stop parading themselves as leaders of the union in the state.
When the case came up, Counsel to the Claimant (Orduen Dura), R.I. Wombo moved that the court should commit to prison all the respondents including Vice president Zone D. Wison Bako and all those that emerged as leaders at that election.
The learned Counsel told the court that all the respondents except the then Acting chairman of the council, Kajo Martins be exempted from committal to prison as the case has been adjourned to 28th July, 2021.
It will be recalled that Mr. Orduen Dura of the State Information chapel had dragged the union before the National Industrial Court, Makurdi Division seeking interpretation whether national secretariat of the union has right to violate its constitution by qualifying candidates that were disqualified by the credentials committee.
In the said July 3rd 2021 Benue NUJ council election, Bemdoo Ubger of Radio Benue chapel had 6 attendance while Terna Umah of NTA chapel with 10 attendance have fallen short of 50% as required by union’s constitution and were disqualified by the credentials committee.
However, when the report was sent to NUJ national secretariat, both Ugber and Umah were cleared to join contest along Dennis Ayom of the State Information and Vincent Nyinongu of The Prime chapel.
On 2nd July, the Court bailiff had come to effect service on the Acting chairman and the credentials committee, while the Acting chairman accepted the service, the chairman of the credentials committee rejected and the bailiff placed it on the table where and left while the service were also served on the national secretariat of the union.
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