Group seeks answers on council funds, auctioned property and secretariat project
published by Alphapressmedia
The Ahmad and Mu’azu Campaign Organisation says the recent handover of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, by former chairman Umar Sa’idu has vindicated its earlier concerns about the delay in transferring the council’s affairs to the new executive.
In a statement, the organisation said the handover took place more than a month after the new executives were sworn in. It described the delay as a breach of the NUJ constitution and criticised the new leadership for not publicly raising the matter until the campaign organisation drew attention to it.
The transition has also renewed interest in the background of the current chairman, Isa Garba Gadau, who served as secretary under Sa’idu. The campaign organisation said that history made it particularly important for the council to clarify when the handover was requested, which records were reviewed and whether any issues remain unresolved. Gadau’s previous role, by itself, does not settle the questions raised about the handover or the council’s finances.
The organisation also questioned Sa’idu’s reported statement that he found ₦14,000 in the NUJ account when he assumed office in 2020 and handed nearly ₦2 million to the new executives.
To provide context, the group recalled that Sa’idu became chairman after the NUJ National Secretariat removed former chairman Ibrahim Muhammad Mallam Goje at the end of his tenure and appointed a caretaker committee led by Nasiru Kobi. It said the committee served for about six weeks, during which a Credentials Committee chaired by Umar Mohammed Shira conducted the election that brought Sa’idu to office.
The campaign organisation alleged that neither the Mallam Goje administration nor the caretaker committee auctioned NUJ property, received ₦5 million in election support or allocated newly constructed shops. These claims require documentary evidence and responses from those involved.
The group said records of items it described as having been auctioned during Sa’idu’s tenure were circulated on NUJ platforms and put their value at about ₦1.971 million. It also questioned how much revenue the council received from allocating newly constructed shops, including shops that it said were still under construction. According to the organisation, some tenants have said they paid for their allocations.
It urged the former chairman and the new executive to disclose the proceeds from the shop allocations. It also asked the new leadership to clarify the status of an alleged ₦5 million election-support fund, noting that, according to the group, all nine candidates who contested the election said they personally paid for their nomination forms and campaign activities.
The organisation further questioned the handling of ₦650,000 it said was generated from the sale of nomination forms by the Credentials Committee. It alleged that each of the nine contestants received only a bottle of water said to have cost ₦250, and called for an account of the money.
At its first State Executive Council meeting, the new leadership called for teamwork, mutual respect and constructive communication among members. The campaign organisation urged the council to support those commitments with transparency in its financial dealings and the management of union property.
It called on NUJ members to raise the questions at the State Council Congress and at their respective chapel congresses. It also urged members of the State Executive Council to seek answers in the interest of fairness and appealed to NUJ National President Alhassan Yahaya to intervene.
The organisation further called for a monitoring committee to oversee completion of the NUJ Secretariat remodelling project. It urged the new leadership to promote inclusive governance, accommodate constructive criticism and keep members informed about the union’s finances.
The issues raised—including the reported account balance, alleged election-support fund, nomination-form proceeds, shop allocations and property auction—remain matters for clarification by the former chairman, the new executives and other relevant parties.
