NUJ Declares MARAN Election Rare, Fair as Members Charge Aggrieved Persons to “Go to Court”

Esther Oluku

Following controversies trailing the 2023 Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) election, the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has declared the election rare and fair.

The Chairman of the Lagos state Chapter of the NUJ, Mr. Adeleye Ajayi, while making the submission at the swearing in ceremony of an unopposed team of individuals each vying for the various offices, stated that the situation is an unusual one since the inception of the union.

Ajayi, who also doubles as a former MARAN president, noted that since inception of the union, returning an unopposed team to service has not been the norm and as such is a testament to the faith that the members have on the new team.

The election, conducted by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at the association’s International Maritime Press Centre in Apapa, delivered Mr. Godfrey Bivbere of Vanguard Newspapers as the President of the association to head it for a tenure of three years.

Mr Bivbere took over the reins of the association from a caretaker committee headed by Mr Adegboyega Oni which was installed in late 2022 to run the affairs of the association.

Others elected are Gboyega Oni, Vice President; Babajide Okeowo, Secretary General; Abah Collins, Financial Secretary; Joy Mmereole Okoli, Treasurer; Pearl Ngwama, Assistant Secretary; and Sandra Chukwunyere, Auditor/PRO.

While accepting the new role, Bivbere assured members that his administration would work to restore the association to its rightful place.

“The work starts now; I am going to work with every MARAN member to return MARAN to its rightful place. By His grace, we would achieve great feats for MARAN. God being on our side, myself and the exco would work assiduously to ensure that the best is achieved. Thank you very much and by his grace, we would not disappoint you”, he said

On his part, the Lagos NUJ Chairman, Ajayi urged the newly elected executive to carry every member of the association along in order to achieve the desired result for the association.

He urged the newly elected president of the association, Bivbere to operate an open-door policy and listen to the advice of every member in order to have a productive tenure.

Amidst congratulatory messages for the new exco, some of the members present at the ceremony charged aggrieved persons present and absent at the ceremony to “go to court”.

Their words: “Those who are not pleased can go to court.” “If you are disgruntled, go to court.”