The Registered Trustees of the Environment Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) have rejected claims that the association's Executive Committee has been dissolved, describing resolutions reached at a factional congress as unauthorized and lacking official recognition.
In a joint statement signed on Saturday by the association's Registered Trustees, Mr. Amechi Chukwuekwu Oyema and Mr. Godson Elekwachi, the trustees said the purported congress was not convened through any process approved by the association and therefore could not lawfully dissolve the executive or constitute an interim leadership.
They explained that EMCAN is yet to adopt a formal constitution setting out procedures for convening congresses, determining quorum, electing or removing officers, or dissolving the Executive Committee.
As a result, they said the resolutions announced at the meeting, including the appointment of an interim leadership, remain disputed and do not represent the official position of the association.
The trustees also questioned the credibility of the exercise, alleging that individuals who are not registered members of EMCAN participated in the proceedings and voting.
They specifically named Mr. Samuel Adeyinka of FRCN and Mr. Folarin Kehinde, who were announced as members of the purported Interim Executive Committee, as well as Mr. Adekunle Buruji, named as a member of the Electoral Committee, saying available records show they are not registered members of the association.
The statement further alleged that the motion establishing the interim leadership was seconded by Mr. Goodluck Adubazi of Standard Times, whom the trustees also identified as a non-member.
According to the trustees, the involvement of non-members in decisions affecting the association's leadership raises serious questions about the legitimacy and credibility of the congress.
They stressed that the Registered Trustees have neither considered, endorsed nor ratified any of the decisions reached at the meeting and cautioned members, government agencies, development partners, media organisations and the general public against treating the purported interim leadership as the legitimate leadership of EMCAN.
The trustees reaffirmed their commitment to resolving the association's challenges through lawful, transparent and inclusive processes, including the adoption of a constitution and the conduct of credible elections acceptable to all members.
They also appealed to members to remain calm, avoid actions capable of worsening divisions within the association and support ongoing efforts aimed at preserving EMCAN's unity, professionalism and institutional integrity.