By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
Journalists under the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have called on the national secretariat of the union to urgently intervene in the crisis surrounding the forthcoming chapel election, accusing the Chairman of the NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, of actions capable of undermining the democratic process.
The call formed part of the resolutions reached during an emergency congress of the chapel held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Warri, where members also unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on the state council chairman.
The election of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel is scheduled to hold on Monday, March 16, 2026.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, members expressed concern over what they described as unconstitutional actions allegedly taken by the state council leadership, particularly the delisting of some members from the voters’ register ahead of the election.
The congress stated that the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, which was established more than three decades ago to accommodate journalists practicing in Warri and its environs, had maintained peaceful coexistence among its members without internal crisis.
According to the communiqué, the chapel currently has 32 qualified practicing members, noting that the last admission of new members into the chapel was conducted over 13 years ago.
Members said they became alarmed by recent developments involving the alleged removal of some journalists from the voters’ list for the forthcoming election.
“The State Council Chairman unilaterally took the decision to unjustly disenfranchise some members by delisting them from the voters’ list of the chapel’s election scheduled to hold on March 16, 2026, thereby contravening Article 3:3(g) of the NUJ Constitution 2023 (Amended),” the communiqué stated.
The congress also accused the chairman of allegedly running the affairs of the state council secretariat as his personal estate, claiming that key decisions affecting members and chapels were taken without consultation with other members of the State Working Committee (SWC).
“The Chapel also observed that the Chairman is running the administration of the Secretariat as his personal estate as critical decisions affecting members of the council, including chapels, are taken without recourse to other members of the SWC, thereby contravening Article 5:D(e) of the NUJ Constitution 2023 (Amended),” the communiqué added.
Members further faulted the decision to delist journalists working with online media organisations, describing the move as inconsistent with the provisions of the union’s constitution.
“The Chapel was taken aback when the State Chairman took the ignoble step to delist qualified members who are online correspondents working for different online media organisations, thereby running foul of Section 3:2(a) of the NUJ Constitution 2023 (Amended),” the communiqué noted.
The congress also alleged that the state council leadership disregarded constitutional provisions by denying voting rights to journalists who practice outside the location of their media organisations, an action members said violated Article 5(F3) of the NUJ Constitution.
Members maintained that the process leading to the chapel election should not be turned into a screening exercise by any individual.
“An election is not a screening exercise and therefore no individual, including the State Council Chairman, has the constitutional authority to screen members of the union ahead of the March 16, 2026 Warri Correspondents’ Chapel election,” the communiqué stated.
The chapel reaffirmed that the constitutional role of the state council leadership in chapel elections is limited strictly to supervising the electoral process and not determining the eligibility of members to vote or contest positions.
“Congress reaffirms its recognition of the role of the State Council leadership as limited to supervising the electoral process, not determining the eligibility of members to vote or participate, in line with Article 6:6 of the NUJ Constitution,” the communiqué said.
Following what members described as clear violations of the NUJ Constitution, the congress unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on Comrade Oyowe.
The motion for the vote of no confidence was moved by Comrade Joe Ogbodu, correspondent of The Sun Newspaper, and seconded by Comrade Emma Arubi before it was adopted by the 21 members present at the meeting.
As part of its resolutions, the chapel urged the NUJ national secretariat to safeguard the integrity of the election by ensuring strict adherence to the constitution of the union.
Members also appealed to the national leadership of the NUJ to prevent the Delta State Council chairman from personally supervising the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel election, noting that he had previously supervised the Ughelli Correspondents’ Chapel election.
“The National Secretariat of the NUJ should urgently intervene by asking Comrade Oyowe not to supervise the election by himself as he did in the Ughelli Correspondents’ Chapel election,” the communiqué stated.
The chapel, however, expressed its willingness to cooperate with any other officials delegated by the State Working Committee to supervise the election.
The congress also called on the Delta State Working Committee to immediately reinstate all members allegedly delisted or excommunicated from the chapel so they could participate in the forthcoming election.
It further demanded that members allegedly disqualified from contesting various positions be cleared to contest.
Reaffirming its commitment to the ideals of journalism, the chapel said it remained resolute in defending the rule of law, press freedom and the rights of journalists within the union.
“The Warri Correspondents’ Chapel remains irrevocably committed to defending the rule of law, press freedom, members’ rights and democratic principles within the Nigeria Union of Journalists,” the communiqué added.
The communiqué was signed by Comrade Joe Ogbodu, Chairman of the Communiqué Drafting Committee; Comrade Onyekachukwu Meluwa, Secretary of the committee; Comrade Sunny Ariegwe, member; as well as Comrade Victor Okpomor, Chairman of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, and Comrade Edeki Igafe, Secretary of the chapel.