Tension is brewing within the Enugu State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) following allegations of a fresh plot by non-members of the union and an ethnic champion to derail the forthcoming NUJ council elections through the courts.

The move is allegedly being spearheaded by external forces who had earlier attempted to rig the process in favour of unpopular candidates. After failing to secure broad-based support, these actors are now said to be plotting to use the courts as a last resort to stop the democratic process.

Union insiders described the development as a “desperate and dangerous attempt” to impose candidates who do not enjoy the confidence of the majority of journalists in the state.

This latest twist comes on the heels of the sudden withdrawal of several candidates from the race — most notably one of the frontline chairmanship candidates, who has now stepped down to face an ongoing forgery scandal at his workplace.

According to multiple sources, the chairmanship candidate is currently under investigation after allegedly taking money from his office and forging documents to retire the funds. The discovery reportedly triggered internal disciplinary proceedings, compelling the candidate to abandon his ambition to face the forgery scandal and seek for a way to save himself from the hangman. 

Rather than come clean about the real reason behind his withdrawal, the embattled aspirant allegedly told supporters that he was stepping down due to pressure from the government — a claim he has failed to substantiate with any evidence.

“This is a professional union. We will not allow it to be hijacked by non-journalists or ethnic champions who are only interested in using the NUJ to advance personal or sectional interests,” a senior member of the union said on condition of anonymity.

“There’s no way someone battling forgery allegations can continue to seek the leadership of a union built on ethics and integrity,” another journalist added.

Members of the NUJ Enugu State Council have expressed deep concern over what they call “external interference” and have vowed to resist any attempt to compromise the integrity of the election.

Worthy of note are the ongoing efforts of the National Leadership of NUJ for a free, fair, and credible process.

As of the time of this report, no formal court action has been instituted, but there are fears that legal machinations may be employed in the days ahead to frustrate the exercise.