Guber Poll: We have no anointed candidate, says Oyo NUJ

Contrary to the insinuations making the rounds that the leadership of the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is giving support to a particular gubernatorial candidate, the Union on Friday said it has no anointed candidate.

This was the position of the Union at the end of its monthly Congress held on Friday in Ibadan, the State capital.

The communique arising from the Congress issued by Comrades Seye Ojo; Funmbi Bello and Amos Oladimeji at the end of the congress and released to the media by the Union’s secretary, Sola Oladapo tasked the electorate to beware of the fifth columnist and fake news ahead of the March 11, 2023 election.

The communique reads 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 NUJ, as a body does not have an anointed candidate for the Saturday March 11, 2023 governorship poll in Oyo State.

‘That NUJ, like in the past, offers our platform to all candidates of various political parties in the state, and beyond.

‘That 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 name of the blogger is not on the list of recognised members of NUJ in the state. 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.

‘That the politicians should know that it is only Almighty God that 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 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.

‘That all journalists, especially those that have been accredited to cover the governorship and House of Assembly elections on March 11th, should be careful, be professional, should 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 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. It should be placed on the 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 Congress also appreciated our benefactor, Dr. Abib Olamitoye for his outstanding and quintessential support to NUJ, in the area of infrastructural projects especially the ongoing construction of a new NUJ Indoor Press Centre at Iyaganku, Ibadan,’ Communique added.