NUJ President Faces Multiple Charges as Another Top Journalist Heads For Court

Abuja top journalist and editor of New National Star newspaper,Mr. Akin Orimolade has dragged the outgoing President of Nigeria Union of Journalists,NUJ, Mr. Chris Isiguzo to court accusing him as an impostor who is unfit to be the President of the Union.

Orimolade is praying the court to mandate Isiguzo to forthwith vacate the office of the National President of NUJ at the National Headquarters,Mabushi,Abuja.

In Suit no. NIC /ABJ/257/2021 filed and served on the defendants on 27th September,2021,Orimolade through his lawyer O. D. Okeke Esq. is asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining Mr Chris Isiguzo from parading himself as the National President of NUJ and stop participating in any activities of NUJ forthwith until he complies with Article 3(1) (a) (2) (b) of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Constitution 2011.

In a 21 paragraph affidavit sworn to at the Industrial Court Registry,Abuja on 27th September,2021, Orimolade said Isiguzo does not possess the minimum academic qualifications and has not fulfilled any other condition(s) required by the NUJ Constitution.

“The 2nd Defendant is not entitled to have contested or be voted for in any 1st Defendant’s activities and/or organized election of 4th-5th of October,2018 or future elections/activities until he satisfies the provisions of Article 3 (1)(a)(2)(b) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Constitution of November 15th,2011.
“That prior to the 1st Defendant’s election of 4th-5th of October,2018,the 2nd Defendant was enmeshed in Certificate Scandal which has not been cleared up till the time of filing the suit.

“The 2nd defendant applied and was offered employment by “This day Newspaper” as Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate holder in 2006.The 2nd Defendant claimed to have obtained the said certificate from Federal Polytechnic,Oko in June 1998.
“The 2nd Defendant purports to have obtained the said HND Certificate in the name of ‘ Isinguzoro Ikechukwu C’ but was cleared and screened by the then NUJ Credentials Committee to contest the said election for the position of NUJ National President as Mr. Chris Isiguzo which he won.

Orimolade in the affidavit explained how the embattled President claimed in an affidavit he sworn to in an Enugu Magistrate court that he is “Mr Chris Isinguzo Ikechukwu C”,Isinguzoro Ikechukwu C”, “Isinguzoro Ikecukeu Christopher”,and Isiguzo Christopher Chunks”.

Orimolade in the court papers said he would be relying on 16 Certified True Copy (CTC) documents to prove his case that the 2nd defendant in the case is “a professional serial identity theft expert”.