By; Ayomide Akinsola
The Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan (UCJUI), has issued a strong defense of its recent publications on alleged financial misconduct within the Students’ Union, following what it described as misrepresentation and smear attempts at the Students’ Union Congress held on Saturday, September 20.
In a public statement, the UCJ said its reports on financial accountability were based on official findings of the Audit and Disciplinary Committees of the Students’ Representative Council (UISRC), 12th Assembly. The union stressed that its stories were drawn from verifiable documents and committee reports, not speculation.
The UCJ condemned what it termed a “deliberate pattern of intimidation” against student journalists, alleging that the Congress was used to discredit the press rather than address the issues of accountability raised in the reports.
According to the statement, such actions amount to undermining the roles of checks and balances within the Union. “For the record, the Congress did not absolve the Executive Committee of the allegations raised by the UISRC Audit and Disciplinary Committees,” the union maintained, adding that any explanations from the executives must be formally submitted to the statutory bodies that investigated the faults.
The UCJ reaffirmed its commitment to principles of truth, accountability, and service to the student community, pledging not to yield to attempts to silence the press. It called on students and members of the university community to demand transparency from their leaders while safeguarding the watchdog role of campus journalists.
The statement concluded by urging the UISRC to complete its investigations and maintain the integrity of its findings, while the UCJ vowed to continue reporting “accurately, ethically, and courageously” despite pressures.
