alleged former Chairman NUJ Lagos Chapter
Former Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Lagos chapter, Mr. Deji Elumoye in this interview with INTEGRITY REPORTERS told his own side of the story in the alleged land scandal
The committee set up by your predecessor found your led executive guilt of fraudulent activities?.what do you have to say to this?
I’m not aware of any fraudulent activity during my two-term tenure as Lagos NUJ Chairman from 2011 to 2017. My successor instituted a land project committee that looked into allocation of Mowe land.
You were being accused of not appearing before the committee?, Why?
I appeared before the committee twice early this year and I stated all what I knew about the land project that was started by my predecessor, Wahaab Oba.
You and your executives were being alleged not to have proper record and being financial reckless during your tenure?
The records containing all the names of the subscribers to the Mowe land made available to my Exco in 2011 by Wahaab Oba was also properly handed over to my successor in October, 2017. The financial records of my administration were properly presented by the Treasurer during the 2014 and 2017 Triennial delegates conference of Lagos NUJ and approved through proper motions moved and seconded by members.
You were equally alleged that the land bought for journalists at Mowe were not properly paid for and there were a lot of impropriety in it?.Kindly explain your position on this?
Mowe land project was conceived and paid for by my predecessor but when we came on board there were subscribers who were not captured in the project and in the spirit of continuity we purchased some more acres with N2m so as to allocate to those who had paid our predecessor but were not allocated plots of land. This much was captured in the audited 2014 Lagos NUJ financial report appropriately.
EFCC invited you based on petition against you and your regime as NUJ chairman lagos branch, how were you able to settle with them?
EFCC invited me based on a petition written by some subscribers to Penjewel Housing Project against NAWOJ National Leadership. I was only asked to clarify areas where Lagos NUJ leadership was mentioned which I obliged them after which i left the Ikoyi office of EFCC. Don’t forget that the Penjewel Housing project which was an initiative of NAWOJ was supposed to be jointly executed with Lagos NUJ with 800 plots carved out from Mowe.
