Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, have elected and sworn in a new executive to run the affairs of the union for the next three years.

The National Vice-President, NUJ, B Zone, Ms Ronke Samo, who presented the new council members on Thursday in Lagos, charged them to take the welfare of journalists as a priority.

Samo said that the Lagos Council’s Chairman, Mr Adeleye Ajayi, who did well in his first tenure, was returned unopposed to serve a second term.

She charged the new executives of the union to surpass whatever success was recorded in the first tenure by Ajayi.

Samo represented the National President of the union, Mr Chris Isinguzo, at the occasion,

All the executives were returned unopposed except the vice chairmanship’s position, which was keenly contested by Philip Nwosu and Iyabo Ogunjuyigbe.

Philip Nwosu polled 277 votes to secure the position while Ms Iyabo Ogunjuyigbe scored 183 votes.

Ajayi, in his acceptance speech, pledged to continue to be accountable and take the welfare of journalists more seriously in this administration

Ajayi, who described the election as a victory to everyone, said, however, that in every competition there must always be a winner.

“We are members of the same united family. I want to tell you that we are members of the same executive.

“We are not going to fall below expectation, that I can assure you.

“We have so many projects lined up and by the time we get to half of the second term we would have fulfilled all our promises,” he said.

He said that every member of the union would be carried everyone along, while the union’s books would be open for scrutiny and accountability.

According to him, accountability is going to be the watch word while capacity building and welfare of journalists will also be a priority.

Ajayi said that by January 2023, the backlog of pending benefits of members would be cleared.

The chairman said that the furnishing of the NUJ Secretariat as well as the Media Icon, an event that would honor media personalities that have contributed to the industry, would be prioritised.

“With humility, doggedness we will take the union to grater heights, with ideas coming from members and constructive criticism we will go places,” he said.

The new executive members of the union included the Secretary, Tunde Olalere; Assistant Secretary, Laide Awosanya; Auditor, Kemi Ishola; and Financial Secretary, Innocent Anaba, among others.