Benue: Correspondents Chapel, Govt House Press Crew Dissociates Selves from NUJ’s Communique, Pass Vote of Confidence in CPS Kula Tersoo

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Benue State Council and the Government House Press Crew, have both distanced themselves from the Vot of no confidence passed in the Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Tersoo Kula by the union led by Chairman, Comrade Bemdoo Ugber.

The development has caused a major crisis within the Benue State NUJ which was comatose
for years.

The development came after an emergency congress of the Correspondents’ Chapel held in Makurdi on May 27, 2026, where members extensively deliberated on the state of affairs within the union and passed a vote of no confidence on the NUJ Chairman over alleged misconduct, financial impropriety and actions capable of bringing the union into disrepute.

In the communique signed by the members of f the drafting committee, Chairman Comrade Martins Kajo, alongside Secretary John Shiaondo and member Tor Vande-Acka, the chapel accused the NUJ leadership of failing to properly account for several sums of money allegedly realized through different transactions involving the union.

Among the allegations raised was the reported failure of the council leadership to explain how the sum of N2 million generated from schools allegedly owned by the council was utilized, as well as another N3 million reportedly collected from the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, for the purchase of chairs for the NUJ.

The chapel further alleged that out of the N10 million support, a bus and palm trees donated to the union by Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, during a visit to the council, the NUJ Chairman allegedly diverted N3.5 million which members claimed had not been properly accounted for.

Members also condemned the alleged conversion of the NUJ bus to commercial use, accusing the chairman of compelling journalists to pay as much as N50,000 before they could access the vehicle for official assignments.

The Correspondents’ Chapel further accused Comrade Ugber of factionalizing the union by allegedly favouring non-members over genuine journalists, while also engaging in public confrontations over money-related issues that they said had embarrassed the image of the NUJ in the state.

The communique referenced an alleged incident at the APC Secretariat during the recent governorship primaries where the chairman was accused of physically engaging some members and allegedly holding them hostage for hours over financial disagreements.

The chapel equally faulted comments allegedly credited to the NUJ Chairman describing the State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia as “stingy” compared to governors of Plateau, Akwa Ibom and Kano states, over claims that journalists in Benue received a paltry N2.5 million after the APC primaries.

The congress maintained that the attempt by the chairman to push for industrial action without the approval of the State Working Committee, State Executive Council and Congress amounted to abuse of office, adding that the council’s finances had allegedly not been audited since the present leadership assumed office.

Consequently, the Correspondents’ Chapel announced its withdrawal from all activities of the NUJ State Council pending the resolution of the issues raised, while directing its members serving in various committees of the council to immediately withdraw their participation.

The chapel, however, passed a vote of confidence on Governor Hyacinth Alia, his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, and other government media handlers for what it described as their cordial relationship with journalists and commitment to the development of the state.

In a related development, members of the Government House Press Crew has also issued a separate communique dissociating themselves from the vote of no confidence earlier passed in the CPS to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, by the NUJ leadership.

The Government House Press Crew, led by its Chairman, Pius Angbo, accused Comrade Bemdoo Ugber of orchestrating what it described as a blackmail and extortion campaign against the CPS, insisting that Tersoo Kula had remained professional and supportive of journalists in the state since assuming office in May 2023.

The press crew further alleged that the actions of the NUJ chairman exposed an attempt by some members of the media to undermine the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia ahead of the political activities in the state.

The group unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Governor Alia and Tersoo Kula, commending them for promoting good governance, media engagement and development journalism in Benue State.

Angbo said “The NUJ chairman is the greatest beneficiary of the peace restored in the union affairs by the Alia administration, doing everything possible to unite all members of the NUJ and conducted one of the most peaceful elections that led to the emergence of Comrade Bemdoo Ugber as Chairman.

“We totally disagree with the vote of no confidence passed on the CPS by the Bemdoo Ugber led NUJ.

“We collectively and unanimously pass a vote of confidence on Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia for providing people centred leadership in Benue, just as we publicly pass a vote of confidence on the Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula for his relentless efforts at keeping the media in Benue state working to perform her constitutional responsibility of holding government accountable and also promoting good governance and development policies of the Alia administration,” he added.