DEMOCRACY ON EDGE: RAISED QUESTIONS OVER GOVERNOR–NUJ ENGAGEMENT ON PRIMARY EVE— Concerned Edo South Patriots

 

As Edo APC moves into the crucial Edo South Senatorial District primary election, disturbing developments on the eve of this exercise demand urgent public attention.

Credible reports indicate a scheduled meeting between the Executive Governor of Edo State and the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Chapter, on the night immediately preceding this highly sensitive process.

Let it be clear: engagement with the press is normal in a democracy. But timing is never neutral. When such a meeting is fixed on the eve of a decisive party primary, it naturally raises questions that cannot be ignored.

This is the core issue—perception of influence at a defining political moment.

At a time when the credibility of tomorrow’s primary must be protected at all costs, any appearance of closeness between political authority and those who shape public narratives risks weakening confidence in the entire process.

The NUJ is not a political extension of government. It is expected to remain independent, firm, and professionally distant from partisan pressure. Anything short of that—especially at this hour—inevitably raises questions about neutrality, whether intended or not.

The Governor, as the highest political authority in the state, carries an even heavier responsibility. Leadership is defined not only by action, but by restraint and judgment. And restraint matters most when power is closest to the ballot.

No explanation fully removes the perception created by a late-night political-media engagement on the eve of a party primary. In politics, perception often becomes the final verdict in the public mind.

Edo South has witnessed similar patterns before—last-minute consultations, quiet alignments, and behind-the-scenes recalibrations that end up shaping outcomes far removed from the true will of delegates.

This moment must not follow that path.

Tomorrow’s primary must reflect only the authentic decision of party members and delegates—not influence, not pressure, and not unseen arrangements.

We therefore urge all stakeholders—the State Government, the NUJ leadership, and all involved actors—to exercise restraint and protect the integrity of this process.

What is at stake is not just an election, but public trust.

Edo South deserves a process that is transparent, credible, and beyond question.

Anything less is unacceptable.

 *Signed:* 

Concerned Edo South Patriots