The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has dissociated itself from the award of “Senator of the Year” slated to be presented to Mr. Dino Melaye and 14 others.
The NUJ made its position known in a statement issued on Monday afternoon. Signed by Mr. Gbenga Bamidele, Assistant National Secretary, the statement quoted the NUJ President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Odusile, as saying that the union has no hand in the purported award.
“The award, purportedly by the Senate Press Corps of the union, is illegal as the body is not recognized by the NUJ constitution to give any award to anybody.
The Union dissociates itself from the so-called conferment, as it did not comply with the provision of the Constitution of NUJ on such issues, hence the nullification of the award,” the statement quoted Mr. Odusile as saying.
It added that the NUJ President wants members of the public to know that anybody who deals with this group on behalf of any organ of the NUJ does so at his or her own risk.
A group, which calls itself Senate Press Corps, plans to confer Mr. Melaye with the award at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel at 7pm on Monday.
