Musa Na Allah Sokoto
The Sokoto bureau chief of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Habibu Harisu, was returned elected as Chairman of the Sokoto state Correspondents Chapel of the NUJ after a heated contest.
Harisu who was contesting for second term would continue to run the affairs of the Chapel for the next three-year term after scoring 15 votes, defeating his opponent Abdallah El-Kurebe of ASHNEWS who scored 11 votes.
Other positions contested during today’s election are that of Financial Secretary and Auditor of the union in which Onuminya Innocent of Thisday Newspaper emerged victorious as financial secretary while Faruk Muhammad Yabo of Radio France International (RFI) was elected as Auditor respectively.
The position of Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary were all return unopposed, occupied by Ismail Umar, of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Ankeli Emmanuel, of National Accord, Olakunle Maruf, of Tribune and Adamu Suleiman of the Nation newspapers respectively.
Inaugurating the new executives, Mr Dalhatu Abdullahi, NUJ chairman, Sokoto State council, urged them to justify the essence of their election.
Abdullahi also advised them to always abide by the union’s constitution and not to be involved in partisan politics as well as ensuring that their members are not used as tools ahead of the 2023 general elections.
In his remarks, chairman of the Electoral Committee, Abubakar Iman, said the NUJ Constitution was strictly complied with in the conduct of the elections.
Imam advised the newly-inaugurated executives to ensure peaceful coexistence in the running of day-to-day activities of journalists in the chapel.
In his acceptance speech, Harisu pledged to carry all members alone and ensure responsible journalism under his leadership.
He thanked members of the chapel for given him another opportunity and mandate to serve the chapel, adding that doing so would give him another chance to address some challenges of members.
