The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Sokoto State council has directed all its members willing to take political appointments to tender their resignations before doing so.

The council gave the directive on Saturday in a statement signed by Dalhatu Abdullahi and Muhammad Bello, chairman and secretary, respectively.

The statement titled: “Attention to NUJ Members in Sokoto” said the council was adopting one of the resolutions by the NUJ National Executive Committee (NEC) during its recent meeting in Edo.

“The NEC being the highest decision-making organ of the union, resolved that any member, upon receiving any political appointment, should resign his union membership.

“This is to avoid a situation in which the NUJ will be dragged into or seen as belonging to or supporting any political party.

“Such members are, however, entitled to return to the union at the expiration of their political appointments,” it said.

The union said a report reaching the state council indicated that political parties were now including the names of journalists in their various campaign committees, especially publicity at local and state levels.

“We wish to remind political parties that the ethics of the journalism profession disallowed any member from being partisan.

“Thus, every Nigerian has the constitutional right to elect any political party of his choice, but the ethics of the profession encourages members to remain apolitical being the fourth estate of the realm,” the statement added.

The council further directed all chapels in the state to ensure that members willing to take up political appointments should be made to tender their resignations from the membership of NUJ.

“Such members should not enjoy any of the privileges from the chapel, council and the national secretariat,” it said.

(NAN)