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Constitution

Constitution of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), 2021.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preamble

Article 1: Name and Registered Office
Article 2: Objectives

Article 3: Membership

Article 4: Qualification, Application, Induction and Withdrawal of Membership
Article 5: Obligations

Article 6: Organs

Article 7: Officers’ Functions
Article 8: Election

Article 9: Tenure of Office

Article 10: Vacancy/Removal of Officers
Article 11: Funding and Finance

Article 12: Fellowship

Article 13: Trustees

Article14: Amendment of the Constitution
Article 15: Protocol

Article 16: Dissolution

Article 17: Citation

Article 18: Commencement

PREAMBLE:

We, members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), hereinafter referred to as “the Guild” resolve to give ourselves this Constitution, which shall be supreme and binding on all organs, officers and members of the Guild.

 

The Motto shall be: To promote professionalism and ethical values.

 

Article 1. Name and Registered Office

The name of the Association shall be the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) hereinafter referred to as “the Guild” registered under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the powers to sue and or be sued.

 

The registered office shall be situated at the Editors’ House, No. 24 Mojidi Street, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, or such other place as may be approved by the National Convention on the recommendation of the Standing Committee.

Article 2. Objectives

The objectives shall be:

 

a.  To preserve the standards of journalism practice in Nigeria by canvassing, in cooperation with similar professional organisations, a strict adherence to the code of ethics and professional canons as stipulated by Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO)

b.  To defend the rights of its members and access to

 

To promote the training, retraining and education of members in association with other stakeholders within and outside Nigeria.

a.  To articulate the views of editors on issues of public

b.  To partner with similar organisations on professional issues within and outside the country.

c.  To do all other lawful things incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of these objectives or that may be calculated to advance directly or indirectly the interest of the Guild.

 

Article 3. Membership

Members shall include:

a.  Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors, Editors of Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly Newspapers and Magazines published in Nigeria.

b.  Directors and Deputy Directors of News and Current Affairs of Radio and Television stations in Nigeria.

c.  Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors, and Deputy Editors-in-Chief of News Agencies, Publishers and Editors of Online News media based in Nigeria and who served as editors of print and broadcast media for a cumulative period of 10 years, Publishers or owners of Print and Broadcast media and who in the opinion of the Standing Committee shall have attained adequate journalistic training and standing to qualify for membership of the Guild.

d.  Chairmen of recognized Editorial Boards of Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly newspapers, magazines published in Nigeria and broadcast media, who have previously served as editors.

e.  Nigerian heads of international news agencies who have been editor

f.  Administrators/Heads of recognised and accredited Journalism Training Institutions and lecturers of Mass Communication in universities, who have been editors

g.  Deputy Editors of recognized Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly newspapers and magazines published in Nigeria.

Article. 4 Qualification, Application, Induction & Withdrawal of Membership

  1. The qualifications are:
    (a)  The applicant in Article 3(a) (b) and (d) shall be an editor for five cumulative years to qualify for membership.
    (b)  Online practitioners shall be an editor for at least 10 cumulative years in a recognized print and or electronic medium before venturing into online publishing.

 

2.     Mode of Application

All applicants shall apply to the Standing Committee on a prescribed form and may be admitted if:

(a)  The application is endorsed by three financial members and the Chief Executive of the applicant’s organisation.

(b)  The Guild is satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to be admitted.

(c)  The applicant has paid the prescribed application fee applicable at the time of the application.

3.     Induction

New members shall be inducted during the National Convention or All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC)

4.     Withdrawal of Membership

Membership may lapse and be deemed withdrawn if:

(a)  A member fails to discharge his/her duties and obligations to the Guild for a period of five consecutive years. Such member will be informed in writing of the decision of the Standing

(b)  At any time if it is discovered that the information provided in the application form was false.

 

5.     Article 5. Obligations

A member shall discharge all his or her responsibilities, including payment of annual subscriptions and other levies that may be fixed by the Standing Committee.

 

6.     Article 6. Organs

  1. The Organs shall be:
    (a)  The National Convention
    (b)  The All Nigeria Editors’ Conference
    (c)  The Standing Committee
    (d)  The Ethics and Disciplinary Committee
    (e)  Membership and Accreditation Committee
    (f)  Research, Training and Publications ‘Committee

 

  1. The Standing Committee may if the need arises set up sub committees and ad hoc committee.

A.    The National Convention

i.  The National Convention shall be the Supreme organ of the Guild and hold every two years Biennial) at a date, time and venue to be determined by the Standing

ii.  Elect members of the Standing Committee.

iii.  Debate and pass resolutions on matters relating to Objectives.

iv.  Consider and approve the Audited

v.  Receive an address from the President.

vi.  Receive a report from the General

vii.  Consider other matters that may be referred to it by the Standing Committee.

viii.  Convoke an Emergency National Convention to address specific matters
of urgent national importance affecting the Guild.

ix.  Quorum at the Convention shall be by a simple majority of members present at the convention.

x.    Simple Majority means 50% of financial members plus one present at the convention.

B. The All Nigeria Editors’ Conference (ANEC).

There shall be an annual All Nigeria Editors’ Conference to be held at a date, time and venue to be determined by the Standing Committee.

The Conference shall:

 

i.  Deliberate on professional issues affecting the media and the

ii.  Consider matters referred to it by the Standing Committee.

 

C.    The Standing Committee

i.   The affairs of the Guild shall be run by a Standing Committee comprising 16 elected Officers.

ii.   The Standing Committee shall carry out programmes in line with the Guild’s objectives.

iii.  The Standing Committee may set up sub-committees to perform specific functions.

iv.  Decisions at meetings of the Standing Committee shall be by a simple majority.

v.   The Standing Committee shall meet once every quarter but emergency meetings may be called as occasions demand.

vi.   Quorum at any Standing Committee meeting shall be any seven members that shall include President or Deputy or any other standing committee member as delegated by the President.

D.   Ethics and Disciplinary Committee

i.  There shall be a five-member Ethics Committee, two of whom shall be Fellows, to be appointed by the       Standing Committee.

ii.  Membership of the committee shall be people of unimpeachable integrity from the rank of members         of the Guild.

iii.  The committee shall submit its findings public to the Standing Committee.

iv.  Members of the committee shall serve for a one-term tenure of two

v.  The committee shall handle complaints of professional and or ethical misconduct of members referred to it by the Standing Committee upon the receipt of such from any aggrieved person or organisation.

vi.  In deciding cases of professional and or ethical misconduct, the Committee shall be guided by the canons of professional practice and the code of ethics of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO).

 

E.    Membership and Accreditation Committee

i.  There shall be a five-member Membership and Accreditation Committee, two of whom shall be fellows, to be appointed by the Standing Committee.

ii.  Membership shall be people of unimpeachable integrity from the rank of members

iii.  The committee shall handle membership and accreditation issues referred to it by the Standing Committee.

iv.  The Committee should keep regular contact with members to ensure inclusiveness and well-being.

v.  The Committee shall serve for a one term tenure of two years.

vi.  The Committee shall submit its report to the Standing Committee.

 

F.   Research, Training and Publications’ Committee

i.  There shall be a five-member Research, Training and Publications’ Committee, two of whom shall be Fellows, to be appointed by the Standing Committee.

ii.  Membership shall be people of unimpeachable integrity from the rank of members.

iii.  The committee shall serve for a one term tenure of two years.

iv.  The committee shall submit its report to the Standing Committee.

v.  The committee shall conduct research into the readership, viewership listenership, encourage and improve the reading culture of Nigerians.

vi.  Liaise with organisations, foundations and other bodies for purpose of attracting grants, fellowship and scholarship within and outside the country.

vii.  Publish books, journals and other materials to enhance the knowledge and professionalism of members.

viii.  The committee shall carry out other activities incidental as may be assigned to it by the Standing Committee.

Article 7. Officers

  1. The officers who constitute the Standing Committee shall be;
    a.  The President
    b.  The Deputy President
    c.  The Vice President East
    d.  The Vice President North
    e.  The Vice President West
    f.  The General Secretary
    g.  The Assistant General Secretary
    h.  The Treasurer
    i.  The Social/Publicity Secretary |
    j.  Seven Ex-Officio Members – West 3, North 2, East 2

2.   Duties of Officers

A.  The President shall:

i.  Direct the affairs of the Guild

ii.  Preside over meetings of all organs except the other committees.

iii. Uphold and defend the provisions of the Constitution.

iv.  Be the principal signatory to the Guild’s accounts.

v.  He shall be the accounting officer of the Guild on whose table the buck stops.

B.     The Deputy President shall:

i.  Assist the President in the general performance of his/her

duties.

ii.  Act in the absence of the President.

iii.  Perform any other function as may be assigned to him/her by the President and or the Standing Committee.

 

C.   The Vice Presidents (East, North and West) shall:

i.  Coordinate the affairs of the Guild in their areas.

ii.  Serve as Liaison officers between members in their areas and the Guild.

iii.  Ensure that Information from the Guild is effectively disseminated to members in their areas.

iv.  submit quarterly reports on the state of the media and related matters in their areas to the Secretariat of the Guild.

D.    The General Secretary shall:

i.  Administer the Secretariat under the direction of the President on behalf of the Standing Committee.

ii.  Issue notices of meetings of all organs.

iii.  Prepare the agenda and circulate minutes of meetings promptly

iv.  Serve as one of the signatories to the Guild’s accounts.

 

E. The Assistant General Secretary shall:

i.  Assist the General Secretary in the general performance of his/her duties.

ii.  Act in the absence of the General

 

F.   The Treasurer shall:

i.  Be the custodian of the funds of the Guild.

ii.  Ensure proper disbursement and accounting in line with the directives of the Standing Committee.

iii.  Be one of the signatories to the Guild’s accounts.

iv.  Provide quarterly financial report to the Standing Committee.

 

G. The Social/Publicity Secretary shall:
Organise social functions and publicize its activities on all platforms.

Article 8. Election

  1. Screening & Election Sub-Committee
    i. There shall be a five-member Screening and Election Sub- Committee to be set up by the Standing Committee to conduct the election of officers at the biennial National Convention in accordance with the provisions of the constitution
    ii. The Sub-Committee shall be independent of the Standing
    iii. The Standing Committee shall ensure that all logistics are provided to the Sub-Committee to enable it perform its duties efficiently and effectively.
    iv.  The Standing Committee shall appoint the Chairman, Secretary and members of the committee.

2.     Eligibility

i.  A member, who has discharged his/her financial obligations to the Guild and has been active in its activities for three consecutive years preceding the Convention and registered as a member shall be eligible to contest provided that he/she is qualified to contest for the office.

ii.  For a member to be eligible to vote and be voted for, the financial obligation shall be up to date at least 30 days before the next National Convention.

iii.  Candidate for the Office of the President and Deputy President must have been a member of the Standing Committee for at least one term

iv.  Candidates for the office of the President and Deputy President shall be title editors in print or its equivalent in electronic, news agencies or online media.

Title Editor means an editor who determines the content of news and has his/her in print in the case of print and or the head of editorial in electronic, news agencies or online media.

3.    Notices

i.  The General Secretary shall give 60 days notice before the conduct of the Convention except in cases of emergencies where the Standing Committee shall be free to adjust the schedule.

ii.  The notice shall contain a list of all financial members qualified to vote and or be voted for, to allow for claims and objections and the setting up of Screening and Election Sub-Committee by the Standing Committee as provided by Article 8 (1).

 

4.    Voter’s Register

The General Secretary shall make available a register of up-to-date financial members and other materials to the Screening and Election Sub-committee for the effective discharge of its duties.

4.    Dissolution of Standing committee

The Standing Committee shall be dissolved by a motion after the adoption of the audited report, the Secretary’s report, the address by the President and the conclusion of deliberations on all matters and items on the agenda at the Convention.

5.    Voting

Voting shall be by secret ballot, and or, electronic voting as the need arises.

 

Article 9. Tenure of Office

i.  No one shall hold an elective office for more than two (2) terms

ii.  No one shall spend more than eight (8) cumulative years in the Standing Committee.

Article 10. Vacancy/Removal of Officers

1.  In the event of death, resignation, retirement, incapacitation, removal and or impeachment from office of any member of the Standing Committee, the position of the affected officer becomes vacant.

2.   Impeachment of Officers

A.  An officer shall be removed if found guilty of:

i. Misappropriation

ii. Bribery and Corruption

iii. Unprofessional and unethical conduct

iv.  Acts capable of bringing the NGE to disrepute.

 

B.  Upon the receipt of a petition against any officer, in Article 10(2)(A), the Standing Committee shall refer the petition to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee for investigation.

i.  The officer shall be notified in writing.

ii.  The officer shall have 30 days to respond and defend himself/herself before the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee in line with the principles of fair hearing.

iii.  The officer indicted shall recuse himself/herself or be suspended pending conclusion of investigation.

iv.  The Ethics and Disciplinary Committee shall make its recommendations to the Standing Committee for implementation.

v.  The decision of the Standing Committee is appealable to the National Convention or ANEC

3.   In the event that a member of the Standing Committee accepts a political appointment and or a non-editorial position, the affected officer ceases to be a member of the Standing Committee.

4.  With regard to Article 10 (1 ) and (3) the deputy or assistant to the affected officer or any of the Standing Committee members shall fill the vacant position in an acting capacity pending a bye election at the next National Convention or ANEC

5.  Should the offices of the President and the Deputy President and or any other offices become vacant at the same time, the Standing Committee shall constitute itself into an Electoral College and elect an officer in Acting capacity pending a bye election to fill the positions at ANEC. For the President and his/her deputy replacement shall come among the Vice

6.  In conducting a bye-election as provided by Article 10 (3) and (4) above, Article 8(2)(iii) and 8(2)(iv)of this Constitution shall apply.

Article 11. Funding and Finance

  1. The Guild shall be run through subscriptions paid by members, project levies, earnings from investment and donations sourced from credible

persons and institutions approved by the Standing Committee.

  1. The annual subscription shall be fixed by the Standing Committee at its first meeting of the The General Secretary shall send notice to all members at the beginning of each year reminding them to pay their annual subscription.

 

  1. All expenses in the name of the Guild shall be approved by the President.

 

  1. The Guild shall operate bank accounts in any reputable bank (s) in Nigeria as the Standing Committee may find expedient.

 

Article 12 Fellowship

  1. A member of the Guild who has distinguished himself/herself through outstanding contributions to the development of the journalism profession in Nigeria may be conferred with a Fellowship.
  2. For the purpose of conferring Fellowships on distinguished members, there shall be a five-member Fellowship Sub-Committee which shall be made up of Fellows.
  3. This Fellowship sub-committee will be set up by the Standing Committee to whom it will submit its recommendation. The tenure shall be for two years.
  4. A member conferred with a Fellowship is entitled to use the appellation FNGE (Fellow Nigerian Guild of Editors) in caps
  5. The Standing Committee reserves the right to withdraw the Fellowship from any member if found guilty of misconduct, which in the opinion of the Standing Committee is incompatible with the objectives.

 

Article 13 Trustees

  1. There shall be a minimum of three (5) Trustees and maximum of nine (9) who will be vested with the custody of the assets of the Guild. Such trustees shall be of unimpeachable integrity from the rank of Fellows.
  2. The names of the Trustees shall be recommended by the Standing Committee and approved by the National Convention.
  3. In the event of a vacancy among the trustees, the Standing Committee shall appoint a replacement((s).

 

Article 14: Amendment of the Constitution

  1. The Constitution may be amended at:
    1. The National Convention
    2. A Special convention as the Standing Committee may deem necessary
    3. The notice to amend shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the financial members attending, provided that 30 days notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given by the General

Special Convention include virtual conferences.

 

  1. Proposals for amendments to the Constitution shall be forwarded by any member or members to the Standing Committee through the General Secretary provided that;
    1. The Proposer(s) have fulfilled all required obligations.
    2. A proposal for amendments is forwarded not later than 30 days to the date of Convention.

 

  1. A proposal for amendments is made at an interval of three years only, unless where the Standing Committee observes that certain amendments to the Constitution are urgently needed or upon the receipt of proposal(s) to that effect from a member(s).

 

Article 15: Protocol

The order of precedence (protocol) shall be as follows:

  • President
  • Trustees
  • Fellows
  • Past Presidents
  • Deputy President
  • Vice Presidents
  • Other Officers
  • Members

 

Article 16. Dissolution

  1. The Guild shall not be dissolved except by a resolution of the National Convention supported by at least two-thirds of the members present and voting
  2. In the event of dissolution as provided for in the Constitution and the laws of the land, the assets shall be donated to charity and or to institutions or organisations with similar objectives of the Guild as may be decided by the Trustees

 

Article 17 Citation

This Constitution REPEALS the 2017  Constitution of the Guild and shall be cited as the Constitution of the NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS (NGE) 2021

 

Article 18 Commencement

The provisions of this Constitution shall come into force on Tuesday, the 20th day of April, 2021

 

THE NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS (NGE) CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMITTEE 2020

  1. Ray Ekpu, (fnge) Chairman
  2. Dupe Ajayi Gbadebo, (FNGE) Member
  3. Gbenga Adefaye, (FNGE) Member
  4. Bonnie Iwuoha, (FNGE) Member
  5. Baba Dantiye, mni,(FNGE) Member
  6. Akpandem James, (FNGE) Member
  7. Bodunrin Adebayo Member
  8. Felix Nwadioha (ksm). Member/Secretary.

 

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2021

1.Mr. Bonnie Iwuoha (FNGE) Chairman

  1. Dupe Ajayi Gbadebo (FNGE) member
  2. Alhaji Abdulhamid Majia (FNGE) member
  3. Felix O. Nwadioha (Ksm) member/secretary