The Association of Campus Journalists, Obafemi Awolowo University (ACJOAU), has suspended its live coverage of the institution’s 2024/2025 Students’ Union election, alleging that its members were harassed, intimidated and denied access to several polling units while carrying out their reporting duties.
In a statement signed by the association’s President, Esther Olatimehin, and Public Relations Officer, Olanrewaju Lawal, ACJOAU said the decision was taken after repeated incidents involving its reporters during the ongoing election.
The association alleged that despite identifying themselves as accredited journalists, its members were prevented by electoral officials from accessing polling units in the Faculties of Arts, Agriculture, Basic Medical Sciences, Law and Social Sciences.
According to the statement, some reporters were allegedly manhandled, threatened and deliberately obstructed from documenting the electoral process.
“As a result, the association describes these actions as a serious assault on press freedom and a direct attack on the peaceful, transparent, and accountable process that ought to be a defining feature of every democratic election,” the statement read.
