A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bimbo Daramola, has urged journalists in Nigeria to continue to uphold integrity and hold public office holders accountable in line with the provisions of the Constitution.
Daramola gave the charge while delivering a lecture titled “Ekiti: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” at the 2025 Press Week Dinner and Award Night of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council.
He described the media as a critical institution for societal growth and development, noting that responsible reportage plays a key role in promoting accountability and good governance.
According to him, although Ekiti State still has significant development needs, Governor Biodun Oyebanji has recorded remarkable progress that has positioned the state for greater advancement.
Daramola stressed that the media must continue to question political office holders and demand transparency, saying doing so would compel them to govern with conscience and respect for the profession.
He applauded the NUJ leadership for conducting a performance survey on National Assembly members from the state, in partnership with the Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI).
“Society cannot be built by politicians alone; every politician is also a member of the society,” he said. “If those appointed or elected are not delivering, citizens must rise to challenge them. The partnership between NUJ and an NGO to monitor projects across the state is commendable.”
He added that continued scrutiny of constituency projects would prevent politicians from taking the public and the media for granted.
Earlier, Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, called on journalists to be more professional and ensure balanced electoral coverage as the state prepares for the 2026 governorship election.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, the Governor appreciated the media for their support to his administration and assured that the concerns of the Union remain on his priority list.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of an Award of Excellence to Governor Oyebanji.
Other recipients included the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Monisade Abodunde; Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Joseph Ayodele; Hon. Bimbo Daramola; and the Managing Director of Delko Holding Ltd, Olufemi Aluko.
Awards were also presented to outstanding journalists for their exceptional contributions to the profession.