By SN24.com 
By Mary Vuls.
Members of the Plateau State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have rejected what they described as the “purported imposition and illegal inauguration” of new chapel officials, and have petitioned the NUJ National Secretariat for intervention.
In a letter dated *August 13, 2026* and addressed to the NUJ National President, *Comrade Alhassan Yahaya*, 32 out of the chapel’s 48 registered members said the process that produced the new leadership was unconstitutional and lacked transparency.
The members specifically rejected the inauguration of *Mr. Douglas Francis of Arise TV* as Chairman, *Mr. John Farinola* as Vice Chairman, and *Miss Comfort Pius* as Treasurer.
_“This was done without conducting any election,”_ the letter signed by all 32 members stated.
*How the Crisis Unfolded*
According to the correspondents, the crisis began when the State Council rejected and disqualified members of the Credentials Committee earlier set up by the chapel’s congress over alleged non-payment of lump sum check-off dues.
To restore peace, the chapel said it convened an emergency congress and reconstituted another credentials committee. However, they alleged that further interference by the State Council leadership led to the resignation of the reconstituted committee members and all contestants in the election, leaving *Mr. Douglas Francis* as the sole contestant four days to the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent executives on *July 27, 2026*.
Following the expiration of tenure, the State Council appointed a three-man caretaker committee comprising former chapel chairmen — *Mrs. Tongnan Bawa, Mr. Yemi Kosoko and Mr. Isaac Shobayo* — with a mandate to conduct fresh elections within two weeks. The committee released a timetable fixing election for *Thursday, August 13, 2026*.
*Allegations of Illegal Inauguration*The members said they were “worried and shocked” when, three days before the scheduled election, the caretaker committee proceeded to inaugurate Mr. Francis, Mr. Farinola and Miss Pius as chapel officials, claiming it had concluded its assignment.
_“Forms were not openly sold to interested members,”_ the letter added.
The correspondents also accused the State Council of selective application of the NUJ Constitution. They cited the inauguration of the Chairman of the PPC Chapel, who they allege does not meet constitutional requirements, as an example of double standards.
_“If the Constitution must be strictly followed in the affairs of the Correspondents’ Chapel, why should the same constitutional provisions not apply equally to other chapels?”_ they queried.
The group further questioned the eligibility of some State Council officials, citing *Article 3, Section 3(a) and (b)* of the NUJ Constitution.
*Loss of Confidence, Demand for National Intervention*
_“Against this background… we have lost confidence in the State Council to continue to mediate or supervise the resolution of the crisis,”_ the members declared.
They said they have boycotted the activities of the Plateau State Council pending intervention by the National Secretariat.
The 32 members urged the National Secretariat to:
1. *Constitute an independent committee* to take over the matter and investigate the issues raised.
2. *Withdraw any leadership arrangement imposed without a valid election* and conduct a credible, transparent and constitutionally compliant election for the chapel.
3. *Review the eligibility of some members of the Plateau State Council to contest election.
4. *Restore normalcy* in the chapel in line with the NUJ Constitution.
The members also informed the National Secretariat that the chapel currently has no substantive leadership. Pending resolution, they said they have appointed *Mr. Shittu Tanko, Mr. Dickson Adama, and Mrs. Asile Emmanuel* to steer the affairs of the chapel.
_“We remain committed to the principles of democracy, justice, fairness, transparency and due process, and urge all concerned to refrain from actions capable of further deepening the crisis within the Chapel,”_ the letter concluded.
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