31st March, 2022
By Joan Nwagwu
The National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja, has affirmed Annah Daniel as the duly-elected Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter.
The affirmation was revealed in a statement, jointly signed by Nkiru Okeke, NAWOJ Secretary, and Daniel on Thursday in Abuja.
The NAWOJ FCT Chairperson was reacting to the judgment passed by the President of the NIC.
NAN reports that the President of the court, Justice B. B. Kanyip, in his ruling, struck out and dismissed 12 of the 13 reliefs sought by Stella Okoh-Esene against the Nigeria Union of Journalists and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists.
Also, reacting to the judgment, Counsel to NUJ/NAWOJ FCT chapter, Osuagwu Ugochukwu, said that the court agreed principally with his submission that Stella Okoh-Esene was rightfully disqualified.
He noted that out of the 13 claims submitted by the claimant, only the one relating to her indefinite suspension was granted.
NAWOJ FCT Chairperson expressed confidence in the judiciary, stating that the outcome to her, is one of “no victor, no vanquished”.
She used the opportunity to call on the aggrieved members to sheath their swords and join hands with the present executive to build a better association in the FCT for all women journalists to be proud of.
Stella Okoh-Esene, a former chairperson of NAWOJ FCT, had filed a suit on July 5, 2021, seeking the sack of the Annah Daniel-led executive over her disqualification on certificate issues and years of practice.