A crisis is brewing in the Delta State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over an alleged misappropriation of largesse from the state House of Assembly Speaker, Dennis Guwor Emomotimi to the union during a courtesy visit.
Some executive members of NUJ also accused the Union’s state chairman, Churchill Oyowe and secretary, Victor Sorokwu, of what they called “gross financial misconduct, abuse of office, high-handedness” and embezzlements of the union’s funds amounting to over N10million.
Following the development, the executive members therefore called for the immediate suspension of the state chairman and its secretary from office so as to pave the way for a transparent and unbiased investigation into the allegations.
In a petition titled “Gross Financial Misconduct, Abuse Of Office And High-handedness By The Chairman, NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe In Connivance With The State Secretary, Comrade Victor Sorokwu”, addressed to the President and National Secretary of the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), in Abuja, signed by the state vice chairman, Felix Ekwu, assistant secretary, Josephine Iroro, treasurer, Caroline Ubini and financial secretary, Polycarp Orosevwotu, copied to the vice president and secretary, NUJ Zone F and obtained by SaharaReporters, the union accused the state chairman and secretary of misappropriation.
The executive members also alleged that the chairman and the secretary, without any form of remorse allegedly embezzled largesse from the speaker of the state house of Assembly, Dennis Guwor Emomotimi during the union’s courtesy visit to the Speaker in his office as well as over N10 million from the state government and Ministry of Information.
The petition which read in parts noted that “On January 28, 2025, the state chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe led just two members of the SWC on a courtesy visit to the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly.
“Despite Oyowe sending a text message to the state Treasurer, Comrade Caroline Ubini, less than one hour before the visit, received and disbursed the money from the visit. Members of the SWC were neither called nor informed about most engagements even via the SWC Whatsapp group. Recent cases were the visit and presentation of an award to Senator Ned Nwoko by the chairman and secretary without the knowledge of the SWC and the courtesy visit to the House of Assembly Speaker.
“When the present executive of the Union came on board on October 18, 2023, it had a clear mandate to provide a transparent and accountable leadership that would further engender the peace and unity amongst our members, but unfortunately, one year and three months into the administration, the focus of the executive is being derailed by the state chairman and secretary and the need to avert the union being thrown into factionalisation and anarchy necessitated the petition.
“The state chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, is now in possession of the Union’s cheque booklet and, in connivance with the state secretary, Victor Sorokwu, makes withdrawals from time to time without the knowledge of the treasurer.
“The state treasurer has been sidelined and does not have any knowledge of the income and expenditure of the state council. In a sane clime, the financial secretary is supposed to have a record of the income of the union documented before expenditures are made. As at the time of filing this petition, the financial secretary does not have any record of income coming to the council as the chairman and secretary have made it a point of duty to receive and spend only to brief the SWC at a later date. The state chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe receives monies meant for the state council either in cash or transfers into his bank account, appropriates and disburses same without the knowledge or approval of the SWC.
“Five million naira from the Delta State government and another one million naira from Delta state Ministry of Information to support the state council’s 2024 Press Week. Despite the setting up of a Press Week committee for the event, the state chairman was the one that received the five million naira and without recourse to the SWC appropriated the money. The question is, if it was the committee that received the money, then the committee should have spent the money and defended the spending. Instead, Oyowe, after spending the five million naira plus the one million naira he collected from the state Ministry of Information, called for a SWC meeting, during which he informed the SWC for the first time about it and how he spent the total of six million naira.
“The first payment of three million, three hundred thousand naira by the vendor for the state secretariat was paid into the account of the state chairman. He only later transferred part of the money to the state treasurer after personally appropriating it. Also, the second vendor (Ben Okolie) paid two million, four hundred thousand naira into the personal account of the chairman, which he appropriated and briefed the SWC later about it. The state chairman, is involved in the collection of an undisclosed amount from the Ministry of Information monthly through his personal account. Income and expenditure on the ongoing lockup shops and execution of the project solely by the chairman and secretary. Several approvals for secretariat plumbing and wiring have not been carried out. Constant withdrawal of money from the union’s account without spending.
“Non-disclosure and withholding of the 2024 christmas honorarium from government house to SWC. Following the above points raised, it is obvious that chairman Oyowe and the secretary, Sorokwu, have contravened the following sections of the NUJ constitution as amended. Article 4 (4a) for entering into different agreements with individuals in NUJ without recourse to the national secretariat. Article 5 Section C 5 & 6, for receiving funds meant for the union into personal accounts and starving the treasurer and financial secretary of financial transactions of the union. It is a common practice by the state chairman, in connivance with the state secretary, to engage in official correspondents and scheduled visits without knowledge of the SWC.
“On both visits, the notices were not communicated to members of the SWC. This also runs against the provision of the NUJ Constitution as enshrined in Article 5 Section C subsection 13. From the foregoing, four out of the seven elected members of the SWC hereby pass a vote of no confidence on the state chairman, Comrade Oyowe and the state secretary, Comrade Sorokwu. We call for the suspension from office of the chairman and the secretary, to pave the way for a transparent and unbiased investigation of the above acts of gross financial misconduct, high handedness and flagrant abuse of office. We humbly anticipate your response”, the petitioners prayed.