- Demands Decency, Issue-Based Engagement
The Divine Mandate Team, led by frontline Chairmanship candidate, Comrade Raji Adebayo, has strongly condemned what it described as a cowardly, undemocratic and unacceptable attack on the campaign materials of fellow chairmanship aspirant, Comrade Akeem Abas. The team said the destruction of Abas’ posters represents a dangerous descent into intolerance and political thuggery ahead of the December 9, 2025 Oyo State Council election of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
In a statement issued and signed by the Director-General of the Divine Mandate Team, Comrade Kunle Bakare, the group expressed shock at the incident, calling it “shameful, primitive and a direct affront to the values the NUJ represents.” Bakare noted that the perpetrators carried out the act under the cover of darkness, describing them as “agents of destabilisation who fear free and fair contest.”
The statement reads in part:
“This is not just an attack on Comrade Akeem Abas; it is an attack on the sanctity of our electoral process, on the professionalism of our union and on the democratic principles that have guided the NUJ over the years. We stand in solidarity with Comrade Abas and his campaign team. We urge them not to be intimidated or discouraged by this reprehensible act.”
The Divine Mandate Team stressed that resorting to vandalism reveals the desperation of those already sensing electoral defeat and lacking the courage to sell their ideas, competence and track record to the electorate.
“It is disappointing that individuals who claim to seek leadership positions would embrace crude tactics of harassment and sabotage. If they truly believe in their candidate, let them campaign in the open, not hide behind acts of vandalism and brigandage,” the team added.
Bakare insisted that the NUJ has never been — and must never become — a breeding ground for thuggery, coercion or anti-democratic behaviour, warning that those attempting to contaminate the election process “should be mindful that the era of intimidation in Oyo NUJ is over.”
Reaffirming its commitment to a peaceful, issue-based campaign, the Divine Mandate Team emphasized that its strength lies in the genuine support and goodwill it enjoys across chapels.
“Our mandate is divine, our support is organic, and our confidence is unshaken. We are determined to win resoundingly through popular votes — not by manipulation, not by shortcuts, and certainly not by violence,” the statement said.
The team called on security agencies, the NUJ Election Credentials Committee, and all stakeholders to intervene promptly to prevent further provocations, urging them to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of democratic resolve:
“The will of the people shall prevail. Not now, not ever.”
