The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, has inaugurated a five-member Credentials Committee to oversee the electoral process for the council’s next leadership.
The move follows constitutional provisions that mandate the establishment of an electoral committee three months before the expiration of the current administration’s tenure.
The committee was formally constituted during the August Congress of the union, which took place at the NUJ Secretariat in Lagos. Its formation marks the beginning of the formal transition process for the council.
The five nominees were put forward by members in strict adherence to the guidelines and provisions of the NUJ Constitution. Their selection reflects a broad representation across various chapels within the Lagos council.
Those appointed to the committee are: Wahab Akinlade of Radio Nigeria; Abraham Akpabio of the Correspondents Chapel; Oluwakemi Shitta-Bey of the Federal Information Chapel; Bayo Akomolafe of New Telegraph; and Olatunde Ekundayo of the Lagos Information Chapel. The committee’s primary mandate is to conduct a free, fair, transparent, and credible election for the Lagos State Council.
Addressing the newly constituted body, the NUJ Lagos State Council Chairman, Mr Adeleye Ajayi, charged members to remain upright and impartial throughout the process. He urged them to be guided at all times by the provisions of the NUJ Constitution to ensure that the election upholds the union’s democratic values.
Responding to his nomination as chairman of the Credentials Committee, Wahab Akinlade described the appointment as a “rare privilege.” He expressed honour at accepting the responsibility and thanked colleagues for the confidence reposed in him, adding that he valued the opportunity to serve the union at this critical moment.
Akinlade assured all members that the committee would discharge its duties with fairness, transparency, impartiality, and integrity. He pledged to ensure that every eligible member enjoys a level playing field and that the will of the electorate is fully respected throughout the electoral process.
He also appealed to all contestants and delegates to conduct themselves with maturity, discipline, and the spirit of sportsmanship, saying “Beyond the election, we remain members of one professional family with a shared responsibility to strengthen the NUJ”.
