COURT SACKS JAMES SOWOLE’S NUJ LED EXECUTIVE, SETS UP INTERIM COMMITTEE

James Sowole

The National Industrial Court sitting in Akure has sacked James Sowole led executive of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Ondo State chapter.

In the judgement delivered by Hon. Justice A.A Adewemimo, the court described the selection of the credential committee by the sacked state executive of NUJ as gross violation of NUJ constitution and all know NUJ extant rules.

The Court agreed with the counsel to the claimant Mr. Charles Titiloye that James Sowole led executive did not follow due process in selecting the committee and as such incurably defective.

The court averred that since the selection process violated the provisions of NUJ Constitution and structurally defective, any actions taken or purportedly to have been taken by it cannot stand and therefore declared the credential committee & all its activities null & void.

Consequently, the court ordered that the certificate of return issued to Mr Sowole be withdrawn while fresh election should be held within 30 days.

The court which frowned at the illegal swearing-in of Sowole & his executive members on the 3rd of November, 2017 described it as a direct affront on the rule of law.

According to justice Adewemimo, it was a gross indiscipline and disrespect to the constitution to swear-in a party to a pending case before a competent court of jurisdiction for determination.

The court had earlier over ruled the preliminary injections by the defendants challenging the jurisdiction of the Court to entertain the case in favour of the claimant Anthony Adetoye
Overruling the objection, the court said the right to be heard as enshrined in the constitution is personal, sacrosanct and fundamental human rights which could not be vitiated by legal technicalities as being canvassed by the defendants.

The court finally ordered the National Secretariat of NUJ to immediately set up an interim committee to pilot the affairs of the council before the next election.

Following the judgement, the national body of the union has immediately set up a five man interim committee to run the affairs of the union for the 30 days.

In a memo signed by the National Secretary of the union Shaibu Usman Leman, Sola Obagbemisoye of OSRC is to serve as chairman, Hakeem Gbadamosi of the state correspondent chapel, member, Olaoluwa Meshack,
state information chapel, member, Steven Ayeni from local govt chapel, member while Olawale Koretimi of the FRCN chapel is to serve as Secretary.