Ambassador Suleiman Abubakar, a former Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nasarawa State Council says he withdrew from the July 20 Chairmanship race of the union for Comrade Sunday John, current Secretary to unite the union.
Abubakar a two-term Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel who served from 2013-2019, said he threw his weight behind John to sustain the gains achieved in the last six years.
The Ex Correspondents’ boss who also contested the NUJ Chairman in 2020, said that the interest of the union is above individual interest and urged members across the eight chapels to support the current Secretary in his ambition to lead the council.
Abubakar added that he stepped down in the interest of unity, peace, and the overall progress of the union in the state.
He noted that NUJ in the state needed consolidation rather than contest at this time and appealed to members to demonstrate brotherliness and togetherness.
According to him, the union had made significant gains under the outgoing administration led by Comrade Salihu Mohammed Alkali, and those gains must not be lost to division.
“I stepped down for Sunday John to unite Nasarawa State NUJ. This union is bigger than any individual ambition. We must put the collective interest of members first,” he stated.
He described Sunday John, the current Secretary of NUJ Nasarawa and an Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), as a tested administrator with capacity, experience, and commitment to sustain the legacies of the present leadership and improve on them.
He noted that John had served diligently for six years as Secretary and was the first in the history of the council, since its formation in 1997, to serve two terms in that office.
The former Correspondents’ Chairman urged members to rally behind John in the forthcoming election, stressing that unity would enable the union to achieve more in areas of welfare, capacity building, security, and revenue generation.
“With unity, we can complete the ongoing projects at the Press Centre, ensure 24/7 power supply, strengthen professionalism, and protect our members from quackery and harassment,” he added.
The Nasarawa NUJ election is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at the Press Centre, Lafia.
