The festering crisis amongst disagreeing journalists in Rivers State which has hitherto frustrated attempts to conduct elections to fill vacancies in the State Council of the NUJ has been resolved.
Accordingly, those who are behind a suit filed against the President of the Union before an Industrial Court have been directed to withdraw the matter before 12 noon on Monday to pave the way for Tuesday’s delegates election.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim who summoned a crucial peace meeting in his office Friday to resolve the crisis, announced that obstacles likely to stop the election from holding have been removed.
Nsirim also announced that a number of resolutions were agreed on by all the parties to the peace talks.
He said the two parties referred to as the Consolidation and Liberation teams have committed themselves to the use of the 2018 delegates list for the conduct of the forthcoming election.
He also disclosed that an agreement to end all hostilities that have made it impossible for the National Secretariat of the Union to organise elections to fill all vacancies in the State Council executive has been adopted.
To this end, supporters of the two camps have been enjoined to conduct themselves in an orderly manner before, during and after the election or run the risk of facing stiff sanctions.
Speaking on behalf of the Elders of the union, Rt. Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke said a new dawn has come to the NUJ.
He said he was glad that a journey which began months ago has finally led to the attainment of peace.
Nwuke thanked the Commissioner of Information and Communications for his intervention and lauded the leadership of the two differing parties for concessions made which have resulted in the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
In their separate remarks, the leaders of the Consolidation team, Stanley Job and the Liberation team, Paul Bazia pledged to abide by the resolutions reached at the meeting.
They also urged their supporters to respect the terms of the peace accord and turn out enmasse to vote on Tuesday.
The Vice President, Zone F, Opaka Dokubo who represented the National Secretariat thanked the Commissioner and others who attended the peace talks for the sacrifices made to end the crisis.
He expressed optimism that the election shall be free and fair and spoke against acts that are capable of comprising the integrity of mass media practitioners.
The Telegraph reports that the President of the NUJ, Chris Isigwuzo has ratified the concensus agreement adopted by all the parties to the peace talk.
The implication is that there is nothing stopping journalists in Rivers State from exercising their franchise on Tuesday.
Recall that State Council election was supposed to hold last August, but inhouse disagreements scuttled the exercise.