The Industrial High Court sitting in Owerri, on Tuesday, October 15, 2019, ordered a 14 day ultimatum to parties as regards the leadership crisis rocking the Imo state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
The presiding Judge, S.I Galadima, granted the prayers of the defendant who appealed for more time to settle outside court with the claimant. Justice Galadima frowned at the continued delay of the defendants by way of frustrating hearing of the substantive suit, directed the defendants to communicate appropriately to the claimants and other relevant parties involved to resolve the leadership crisis.
According to him, “this is the third time am granting an appeal for settlement out of Court and I advise that this time, I expect a report from your resolution”. “No rational member of the union should be averse to settlement out of the court rooms”, he said.
The matter was further adjourned to November 6th, 2019, to either receive report from parties as part of the resolution or dare court to resume hearing on the substantive suit on merit. It could be recalled that some members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJs), Imo state council, through their counsel, Barr. Wisdom Durueke, filed a suit challenging the conduct of a kangaroo election on grounds that the committee empowered to screen members as well as conduct the election, were illegally substituted, contrary to the union’s constitution.
The members through their counsel therefore urged the court to grant the credentials committee her rights to complete the conduct of the election which started last year, to usher in a democratically elected leadership of the professional body in Imo State.
