A fresh crisis appears to be brewing in the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Delta State Council after members of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel passed a vote of no confidence on the state chairman, Churchill Oyowe, over alleged unconstitutional actions ahead of the chapel’s election.
The resolution was reached during an emergency congress held in Warri, Delta State, where members deliberated on recent developments surrounding the election scheduled for March 16, 2026.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the chapel expressed concern over what it described as unilateral decisions by the NUJ Delta chairman which allegedly contravene provisions of the amended 2023 NUJ Constitution.
The journalists accused Oyowe of unjustly delisting some members from the voters’ register for the forthcoming election, thereby disenfranchising qualified members of the chapel.
“The State Council Chairman unilaterally took the decision to unjustly disenfranchise some members by delisting them from the voters’ list of the chapel’s election scheduled for March 16, 2026,” the communiqué stated.
Members also alleged that the decision affected correspondents working with online media organisations, which they said contradicts provisions of the NUJ constitution recognising journalists across different media platforms.
“The chapel was taken aback when the State Chairman took the ignoble step to delist qualified members who are online correspondents working for different media organisations,” the communiqué added.
The journalists further claimed that some members were denied voting rights because they practise outside the locations of their media establishments.
According to them, the responsibility of the state council leadership is limited to supervising elections and not determining who is eligible to vote or contest.
“An election is not a screening exercise, and therefore no individual, including the State Council Chairman, has the constitutional authority to screen members of the union ahead of the March 16 election,” the communiqué stated.
Following the deliberations, the congress unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on Oyowe.
The motion was moved by Joe Ogbodu, correspondent of The Sun Newspaper, and seconded by Emma Arubi, before being adopted by the 21 members present at the meeting.
The chapel also called on Oyowe to step aside or resign from office.
“Comrade Churchill Oyowe is hereby called upon to immediately step aside, resign, or face impeachment in line with the provisions of the NUJ Constitution,” the communiqué said.
Members further appealed to the national secretariat of the union to urgently intervene and ensure that the Delta State chairman does not supervise the upcoming election of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel.
They also demanded the immediate reinstatement of all members earlier delisted from the chapel’s voters’ register.
“The chapel appeals to the National Secretariat to prevail on the Delta State Working Committee to immediately reinstate all members delisted from the chapel to enable them vote or be voted for in the forthcoming election,” the communiqué added.
The communiqué was signed by Chairman of the drafting committee Joe Ogbodu, Secretary Onyeka Meleuwa, member Sunny Ariegwe, as well as the chapel chairman Victor Okpomor and secretary Edeki Igafe.
Observers say the development signals growing tension within the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Delta State as journalists await possible intervention from the union’s national leadership.
