By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Members of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have passed a vote of no confidence on the Chairman of the NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, over what they described as unconstitutional actions ahead of the chapel’s forthcoming election.
The decision was reached during an emergency congress of the chapel held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Warri, where members deliberated on developments surrounding the conduct of the chapel’s election scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2026.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the chapel expressed concern over what it described as unilateral actions by the state council chairman, particularly the alleged delisting of some members from the voters’ register of the forthcoming election.
The communiqué noted that the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, which was established over three decades ago to accommodate practicing journalists in Warri and its environs, currently has 32 qualified members and has operated peacefully without major disputes. It also stated that the chapel last admitted new members more than 13 years ago.
According to the congress, the alleged removal of some members from the voters’ list violated provisions of the NUJ Constitution 2023 (Amended), specifically Article 3:3(g), which members said guarantees the rights of qualified members within the union.
Members also accused the state council chairman of taking critical decisions affecting the council and its chapels without consultation with other members of the State Working Committee (SWC), an action they said contravenes Article 5: D(e) of the NUJ Constitution.
The congress further faulted the delisting of journalists working with online media organisations, arguing that the action runs contrary to Section 3:2(a) of the NUJ Constitution, which recognises such practitioners as eligible members of the union.
The chapel also criticised the alleged refusal to allow members practicing outside the location of their media organisations to participate in the election, describing it as a violation of Article 5 (F3) of the constitution.
Members maintained that elections within the union are not screening exercises and insisted that no individual, including the state council chairman, has the authority to screen or determine the eligibility of members ahead of the March 16 election.
They stressed that the role of the state council leadership is limited to supervising the electoral process, not determining who qualifies to vote or participate, in line with Article 6:6 of the NUJ Constitution.
Following deliberations, the congress unanimously adopted a motion of no confidence in Comrade Oyowe. The motion was moved by the correspondent of The Sun newspaper, Comrade Joe Ogbodu, and seconded by Comrade Emma Arubi, with 21 members present voting in support of the decision.
The chapel called on the NUJ national secretariat to urgently intervene in the matter and requested that Oyowe should not personally supervise the March 16 election.
It appealed to the national leadership of the union to direct the Delta State Working Committee to reinstate all members who were delisted or excommunicated from the chapel to enable them vote or contest in the forthcoming election.
The congress also demanded that members who were disqualified from contesting elective positions be cleared to participate in the election.
Despite the dispute, the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, press freedom, and the protection of members’ rights within the NUJ.
The communiqué was signed by the Chairman of the Communiqué Drafting Committee, Comrade Joe Ogbodu; Secretary of the committee, Comrade Onyeka Meluwa; and member, Comrade Sunny Ariegwe. It was also endorsed by the Chairman of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Victor Okpomor, and the chapel’s Secretary, Comrade Edeki Igafe.
Members of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have passed a vote of no confidence on the Chairman of the NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, over what they described as unconstitutional actions ahead of the chapel’s forthcoming election.
The decision was reached during an emergency congress of the chapel held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Warri, where members deliberated on developments surrounding the conduct of the chapel’s election scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2026.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the chapel expressed concern over what it described as unilateral actions by the state council chairman, particularly the alleged delisting of some members from the voters’ register of the forthcoming election.
The communiqué noted that the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, which was established over three decades ago to accommodate practicing journalists in Warri and its environs, currently has 32 qualified members and has operated peacefully without major disputes. It also stated that the chapel last admitted new members more than 13 years ago.
According to the congress, the alleged removal of some members from the voters’ list violated provisions of the NUJ Constitution 2023 (Amended), specifically Article 3:3(g), which members said guarantees the rights of qualified members within the union.
Members also accused the state council chairman of taking critical decisions affecting the council and its chapels without consultation with other members of the State Working Committee (SWC), an action they said contravenes Article 5: D(e) of the NUJ Constitution.
The congress further faulted the delisting of journalists working with online media organisations, arguing that the action runs contrary to Section 3:2(a) of the NUJ Constitution, which recognises such practitioners as eligible members of the union.
The chapel also criticised the alleged refusal to allow members practicing outside the location of their media organisations to participate in the election, describing it as a violation of Article 5 (F3) of the constitution.
Members maintained that elections within the union are not screening exercises and insisted that no individual, including the state council chairman, has the authority to screen or determine the eligibility of members ahead of the March 16 election.
They stressed that the role of the state council leadership is limited to supervising the electoral process, not determining who qualifies to vote or participate, in line with Article 6:6 of the NUJ Constitution.
Following deliberations, the congress unanimously adopted a motion of no confidence in Comrade Oyowe. The motion was moved by the correspondent of The Sun newspaper, Comrade Joe Ogbodu, and seconded by Comrade Emma Arubi, with 21 members present voting in support of the decision.
The chapel called on the NUJ national secretariat to urgently intervene in the matter and requested that Oyowe should not personally supervise the March 16 election.
It appealed to the national leadership of the union to direct the Delta State Working Committee to reinstate all members who were delisted or excommunicated from the chapel to enable them vote or contest in the forthcoming election.
The congress also demanded that members who were disqualified from contesting elective positions be cleared to participate in the election.
Despite the dispute, the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, press freedom, and the protection of members’ rights within the NUJ.
The communiqué was signed by the Chairman of the Communiqué Drafting Committee, Comrade Joe Ogbodu; Secretary of the committee, Comrade Onyeka Meluwa; and member, Comrade Sunny Ariegwe. It was also endorsed by the Chairman of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Victor Okpomor, and the chapel’s Secretary, Comrade Edeki Igafe.
