Contrary to the fake news making the rounds in Oyo State ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial election, the leadership of the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, on Friday said that it has not anointed any candidate in the forthcoming election in Oyo State.
The clarification became necessary following insinuations making the rounds that the council is supporting a particular gubernatorial candidate against the others.
This council’s position was stated loud nad clear at the end of its monthly congress held on Friday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The communique issued ta the end of the congress, signed by Comrades Seye Ojo; Funmbi Bello and Amos Oladimeji, and made available to the media by the council’s secretary, Sola Oladapo, tasked the electorate to beware of the fifth columnists and fake news ahead of the March 11, 2023 election.
The communique read in parts, “The NUJ Oyo State Council, under the chairmanship of Comrade Ademola Babalola, held a congress, on Friday, March 3, 2023, which was well attended by members across different chapels under the council, at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, the state capital.
“The congress deliberated extensively on a number of topical issues. After an exhaustive exchange of comments and views thereon, the congress resolved as follows that: the NUJ, as a body, does not have an anointed candidate for the Saturday March 11, 2023 governorship poll in Oyo State; the NUJ, like in the past, offers our platform to all candidates of various political parties in the state, and beyond; a write up that went viral on the social media, which was published by one Ademola ‘Bablow’ Babalola, and calling on the gubernatorial candidate of one political party to merge with the governorship candidate of another equally important political party ahead of March 11th governorship election, does not have anything to do with our chairman, nor the NUJ in Oyo State”
The communiqué further stressed that “the name of the blogger is not on the list of recognised members of NUJ in the state and therefore, we dissociate ourselves from the publication. As expected of NUJ, we have been playing neutral roles among all the political parties, and we shall not shirk away from upholding the tenets of the profession; politicians should know that it is only Almighty God who enthrones and dethrones whosoever He wishes. Therefore, we urge all politicians to play the game according to the rules. There should be no violence. There should be no bloodbath. We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to correct all anomalies reported during the last election on February 25, 2023 and ensure the gubernatorial poll is better organized with the expected outcomes to be free, fair, transparent and credible; all journalists, especially those that have been accredited to cover the governorship and House of Assembly elections on March 11th, should be careful, professional, and let their colleagues know their locations, move in different groups for the coverage of the elections, and should report emergencies to appropriate quarters, including the Situation Room of NUJ, through the number already given to them.”
The congress further commended the efforts of the proprietor of Ibadan Central Hospital, ICH, and Academic Suites, Dr. Abib Olamitoye, for his kind gesture towards the Treasurer of NUJ in the state, Comrade Akeem Abas, who was attacked by armed robbers at Iyaganku, Ibadan, on his way home recently.
Recall that it is on record that Dr. Olamitoye, through Ibadan Central Hospital, provided a comprehensive medical treatment for him without collecting a dime, either from him, or NUJ.
The communiqué added, “The congress also appreciated our benefactor, Dr. Olamitoye for his outstanding and quintessential support to the NUJ, in the area of infrastructural projects, especially the ongoing construction of a new NUJ Indoor Press Centre at Iyaganku, Ibadan.”
