Nasarawa Information Commissioner Denies Interference Claims in NUJ Chairmanship Election
By Yahaya Idris and Roseline Okafor, Lafia
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Nigeria’s Nasarawa State, Dr. Ibrahim Tanko, has rejected allegations that he interfered in the election of a new leadership for the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), following claims that ministry staff were pressured to support a preferred candidate.
The allegations emerged after journalists elected a new executive on 20 July, in a closely contested vote that drew significant attention from media practitioners across the state.
The election will determine the leadership of the NUJ’s Nasarawa State Council for the next three years.
Juliana Ofoku Wins Competitive Race
Three candidates contested the chairmanship election:
Juliana Ofoku of the Information Chapel
Samson Jonah of the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) Chapel
Sunday John of the Correspondents’ Chapel
After votes were counted, Juliana Ofoku secured 96 votes, defeating Samson Jonah, who received 89 votes, while Sunday John polled 61 votes.
The narrow margin of victory highlighted the competitive nature of the contest, which attracted widespread interest among journalists in Nasarawa State.
Allegations Surface After Election
Following the announcement of the results, allegations circulated among some journalists claiming that staff of the Ministry of Information were subjected to undue influence during the election.
Several journalists, speaking anonymously, alleged that a senior director from the ministry was present at the polling venue and acted on behalf of the eventual winner by monitoring ministry employees during voting.
Some of the sources also claimed that the Commissioner for Information instructed directors and senior officials within the ministry to mobilise support for Ofoku.
They further raised concerns that officials from the Ministry of Information now occupy several key positions within the NUJ state executive, including the offices of chairman, secretary, treasurer and auditor.
Commissioner Rejects Claims
Responding to the accusations, Dr. Ibrahim Tanko, The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Information, denied any involvement in influencing the election or directing ministry personnel to vote for a particular candidate.
The commissioner said he neither interfered with the electoral process nor instructed ministry staff to support any aspirant.
As of the time of reporting, no independent evidence has been publicly presented to substantiate the allegations, and the claims remain disputed.
Rivals Accept Election Results
Despite the controversy surrounding the election, the defeated candidates accepted the outcome.
Samson Jonah and Sunday John congratulated Juliana Ofoku on her victory and thanked their supporters for their commitment throughout the campaign.
Both candidates urged their supporters to accept the election results peacefully and called for unity within the union.
They emphasised that the collective interests of journalists in Nasarawa State should take precedence over political differences arising from the contest.
Expectations for the New NUJ Leadership
The newly elected executive committee is expected to lead the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nasarawa State Council, for the next three years.
Members of the union have expressed hope that the new leadership will focus on improving journalists’ welfare, strengthening professional ethics, defending press freedom and promoting the development of journalism in the state.
The election comes at a time when media organisations across Nigeria continue to advocate for improved working conditions, professional independence and greater protection for journalists carrying out their duties.
