NUJ names Delta governor Oborevwori media-friendly governor of the year

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has named Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori its Media-Friendly Governor of the Year, citing what the union called a cordial relationship between his administration and journalists in the state.

The award was presented on Saturday at the NUJ Annual Milestone Recognition of Media Icons in Nigeria, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel. This was the fourth edition of the event, themed "Strengthening Democracy Through Responsible Journalism and Good Governance."

Oborevwori was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prince Johnson Erijo, who received the award and delivered the keynote address on the governor's behalf.

What the governor said

In the address, the governor described a free and responsible press as essential to democracy, saying citizens can only make informed decisions and hold public officials to account when they have credible information.

He said democracy guarantees press freedom, while responsible journalism in turn strengthens democratic institutions and keeps government connected to the people.

"Public trust is the foundation of journalism. Once lost, it is difficult to regain,"

He urged journalists to hold to accuracy, fairness and integrity, and warned against the spread of misinformation, hate speech and unverified reports, especially online where the pressure to break news can undercut factual reporting.

Why the NUJ picked him

NUJ National President Alhassan Yahya said the recognition programme was set up to celebrate people whose work has left a lasting mark on journalism, humanity and national development.

He said the union's observations showed no reported cases of intimidation, harassment or arrest of journalists doing their work in Delta. He also praised the administration's road projects, its efforts to settle inherited debts and contractual obligations, and social welfare programmes aimed at widows, poor families and other vulnerable groups.

Chris Isiguzo, a former NUJ president who chaired the occasion, commended the current leadership for keeping the annual recognition going, saying continuity helps build strong institutions.

For journalists and media workers, the award is a signal from their union about which state governments it considers friendly to the press. For Delta residents, it is a public scorecard on how freely reporters in the state can work and hold officials to account.