The Nigeria Union of Journalists has asked the Senate Press Corps to cancel the proposed "Senator of the Year Award" it plans to give to Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West).
The Senate Press Corps had nominated Melaye and 14 other Senators for series of awards, slated to hold on Monday (today) at Sheraton Hotel Abuja.
In their separate press statements made available to newsmen on Monday, the National President of NUJ, Abdulwaheed Odusile and the Chairman of FCT Council of the Union, Ella Abechi, described the award as illegal and unconstitutional.
National President of NUJ said: ”The award purportedly by the Senate Press Corps of the Union is illegal as the body is not recognised by the NUJ constitution to give any award to anybody.
"The Union dissociates itself from the so-called conferment as it did not comply with the provision of the Constitution of NUJ on such issues, hence the nullification of the award".
"By this announcement, the Chairman, Abuja Council FCT, Ella Abechi, has called off the award ceremony slated for this evening at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, as the award is illegal and lacks legitimacy by the constitution of the NUJ,” FCT Chairman, Ella added.