NUJ Delta Election: Oborevwori Govt Not Backing Any Candidate, Aniagu Declares

ASABA — Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Internal Roads) and Public Information, Hon. Charles Aniagu, has declared that the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is not supporting any candidate or team in the forthcoming Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council election.

Aniagu assured journalists that the state government would work with whoever emerges victorious in the election scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2026, urging members of the competing teams to embrace peace, unity and sportsmanship.

The commissioner made the declaration during an unscheduled visit to the Information Chapel in Asaba, where the STAND-UP Team was campaigning and presenting its manifesto to members ahead of the election.

He emphasised that the Oborevwori administration would maintain a cordial working relationship with the leadership that emerges from the poll, irrespective of the team or candidate that secures the mandate of NUJ members.
According to him, the state government has no preferred candidate in the contest and is committed to respecting the choice of journalists through the electoral process.

Aniagu's declaration comes amid campaigns by the STAND-UP Team and the POWER CONSOLIDATION Team, both seeking the support of journalists to lead the Delta State Council of the union.

Aniagu Warns Against Division

The commissioner urged the two teams and their supporters to conduct issue-based campaigns, stressing that the election should not create unnecessary hostility, bitterness or division among journalists.

He said candidates should convince voters through their manifestos, programmes and capacity to deliver rather than resort to actions capable of undermining professional relationships.

Aniagu maintained that journalists should be allowed to make independent choices without intimidation, coercion or financial inducement, adding that the credibility of the election would depend largely on the conduct of the contestants and their supporters.

He also called on NUJ members to sustain peace before, during and after the election, noting that electoral contests should not turn colleagues and friends into enemies.

Why I Am Neutral — Commissioner
Explaining his decision not to identify with any of the competing teams, Aniagu said supporting one candidate or group could create the impression that he was against those backing the opposing side.

“If I support you or I support him, those who are on your line will see me as their enemy. Meanwhile, before, I am their friend,” he remarked.

He said his position as Commissioner for Works (Rural and Internal Roads) and Public Information, with oversight of the Ministry of Information, required him to maintain cordial relationships with journalists across different camps.

The commissioner stressed that his neutrality was necessary to preserve unity and ensure that members of both teams continued to see the government as a partner, regardless of the outcome of the election.

Delta State Is Not at War

Aniagu also assured residents that Delta State remained peaceful, urging political actors, journalists and other stakeholders not to allow competitive contests to create an atmosphere of conflict.

He said the pursuit of leadership should be guided by mutual respect, tolerance and adherence to the law, rather than hostility or personal attacks.

The commissioner further commended the atmosphere of peace and harmony maintained within the Ministry of Information over the past seven years, appreciating the leadership and workers for their contributions to cordial working relationships.

He urged journalists to preserve that spirit of unity within the union, regardless of the outcome of Thursday's election.

STAND-UP, POWER CONSOLIDATION Face Off Thursday
The October 15 election is expected to feature the STAND-UP Team and the POWER CONSOLIDATION Team in a contest for the leadership of the NUJ Delta State Council.

The STAND-UP Team was presenting its manifesto at the Information Chapel when Aniagu made his unscheduled visit and delivered his message of peace, neutrality and responsible electoral participation.

With the election approaching, both teams are seeking to convince eligible NUJ members that their programmes and leadership plans offer the best direction for the union.

Aniagu's declaration that the Oborevwori administration will work with whoever emerges victorious places the emphasis on the choice of journalists and the need for a peaceful electoral process.

He urged all contestants and their supporters to accept the outcome of the election in good faith, stressing that the unity of the union and the collective interest of journalists in Delta State should remain paramount beyond the poll.