Managing director and editor-in-chief of New Telegraph Newspapers, Funke Egbemode, who was on Saturday re-elected president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), has said that she is not responsible for the disqualification of her closest challenger, Steve Osuji.
Mr Osuji was disqualified from contesting the position following provisions of the amended 2016 NGE Constitution and the Election Guidelines.
Osuji, in an outburst on Monday on Facebook, said he was disqualified after being branded an associate member of the guild and not a full member.
However, Mrs Egbemode, in a chat with The Interview published on Monday, recused herself from being responsible for Osuji’s disqualification.
“It is about what we agreed. There was not a dissenting voice in Port Harcourt when we adopted this constitution. And we have no other constitution,” she said.
“So, everything we did was according to this constitution. It is not about me. It is not about the fifteen people that contested.
“It is about the constitution and that’s what happened. That’s why the election went the way it did. It is the only way it could have gone.”
She pleaded with aggrieved members to keep the matter outside the courts and that “we will continue to talk to our elders to intervene.”
Egbemode said she was open to constitutional amendment whenever the guild feels there is need for it.
“Whenever the Guild is ready to review the constitution, then it is ready. It is not me. I am not CEO. I don’t have more than one vote. If there is an agreement that we review it next month, we will review it,” she said.
