A new faction has emerged in the Kaduna State chapter of the Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
The emergence of the new faction followed the failure of the Chairman, Secretary, Zonal Secretary (zone A) and another member to respect the directive of the National Leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), not to attend SWAN’s Triennial Delegates Conference that held in Port Harcourt the River State capital.
The factional SWAN at an emergency Congress attended by 18 members that held at Secretariat of the NUJ in Kaduna and supervised by the council Secretary, Comrade John Femi Adi on Monday, resolved to suspend the erring members for violating directives of the NUJ and also divorcing the union.
In a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency congress, that was presided over by Abdulwaheed Adubi, who was SWAN treasurer, set up a seven man caretaker committee to steer the affairs of the association in Kaduna pending directives from the National council of the NUJ.
According the Communique, “the congress hereby suspended the below members for been parts of those who had amended SWAN’s statues to expunged the portion that makes it an affiliate of NUJ; Isaiah Benjamin, former Chairman, Jacob Dickson, former Secretary, former Zonal Secretary, Abdulraheem Audu, and Zakari Isa Haruna.
“After extensive deliberations, the Congress resolved to set up a seven man caretaker committee to steer the affairs of the association in Kaduna, since the members who attended the Triennial Delegates Conference in Port Harcourt had resolved to pull out of NUJ.
“The below are the members: Jacob H. Zango, Chairman, Mayen Etim, member, Umar Abdulhamid, member, Zainab Tanimu, member, Benjamin Auta, member, Tunde Garba, member and Abdulwaheed Adubi, Secretary.”
They therefore called for the understanding and cooperation of all stakeholders in sports while assuring them of adequate and prompt professional service as always.
The communique further stated that, “SWAN Kaduna State Chapter commended the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) for her motherly and her firm decision on the 2019 Triennial Delegates Conference of SWAN.
“That Kaduna SWAN reiterated her cordial relationship with the parent body (NUJ) and not pulling out of the Union that its has been part of since 1964. That Kaduna SWAN members should look forward to a greater change in sports journalism and sports development in the state and the country at large.
“That SWAN Kaduna State Chapter is more focused to reposition the association in line with the constitution of the NUJ and the statutes of the body. That what gives us the Association’s full membership was first and foremost our bonding relationship with the NUJ.
“That NUJ, Kaduna Council should follow suit by adhering to its resolution which contained in her communique of the last NUJ Congress held on October 3, 2019, which stated that: “SWAN members be law abiding and respect the mother body of NUJ ,which instructed that none of its member should attend the Triennial Delegates Conference scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt on October 7,2019 , warned that penalties await erring members.
“That the action of the erring members is a calculated attempt to ridicule the parent body, the NUJ and urged NUJ to set a precedence in order to redeem the image of the Union to serve as a deterrent to others members who may wish to pull down the Union in the future.A new faction has emerged in the Kaduna State chapter of the Sport Writers Association on Nigeria (SWAN).
