A leadership crisis has deepened within the Environment Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) following the rejection by the association’s Registered Trustees of the purported dissolution of its Executive Committee and the appointment of an Interim Leadership by a faction of the body.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the Trustees described the congress that produced the disputed resolutions as unauthorized and procedurally flawed, insisting that it lacked the legal and institutional basis to take binding decisions on behalf of the association.
The statement, jointly signed by Registered Trustees Amechi Chukwuekwu Oyema and Godson Elekwachi, declared that the resolutions announced after the meeting—including the dissolution of the Executive Committee and the inauguration of an Interim Leadership—remain disputed and do not constitute the official position of EMCAN.
According to the Trustees, the association is yet to adopt a formal constitution establishing procedures for convening congresses, determining quorum, conducting elections, removing elected officers or dissolving the Executive Committee.
They argued that, in the absence of such a governing framework, the legitimacy of the congress and its resolutions cannot be sustained.
“The congress was neither authorised by the Registered Trustees nor convened through any process recognised by the association,” the statement said.
The Trustees also questioned the credibility of the proceedings, alleging that several individuals who participated in the deliberations and voting were not registered members of EMCAN.
They specifically challenged the inclusion of Samuel Adeyinka of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Folarin Kehinde in the purported Interim Executive Committee, as well as Adekunle Buruji in the Electoral Committee, maintaining that available membership records do not recognise them as registered members of the association.
They further alleged that the motion establishing the Interim Leadership was seconded by Goodluck Adubazi of Standard Times, whom they also claimed is not a registered member of EMCAN.
According to the Trustees, the participation of alleged non-members in decisions affecting the association raises serious concerns over the legitimacy, credibility and integrity of the entire process.
The statement stressed that the Registered Trustees neither considered, endorsed nor ratified any of the actions taken at the disputed congress.
Consequently, the Trustees advised members, government institutions, development partners, media organisations and the general public not to recognise claims that the Executive Committee had been lawfully dissolved or that any newly announced leadership represents the official position of the association.
Despite the growing dispute, the Trustees pledged to pursue an amicable resolution through dialogue and institutional reforms aimed at restoring unity within the organisation.
They reiterated their commitment to facilitating the adoption of a formal constitution and conducting transparent, inclusive and credible elections acceptable to all members.
The Trustees also appealed to members to remain calm and refrain from actions capable of further deepening divisions within the association while consultations continue.
They reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the integrity of EMCAN, insisting that all decisions affecting the association must be taken through lawful, transparent, inclusive and democratically acceptable processes.
The latest development underscores an escalating leadership tussle within EMCAN, with rival claims to authority threatening the cohesion of the association as stakeholders await efforts by the Registered Trustees to broker a lasting resolution.
