A frontline governorship aspirant in Oyo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi, has lauded journalists in the country as the real gatekeepers of society, urging them to continue setting a positive agenda ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Sunday, the aspirant, who is preparing to succeed Governor Seyi Makinde in 2027, stated that media practitioners, not politicians, shape national discourse by setting agendas that influence governance and national development.
According to him, “Media practitioners, not politicians, gatekeep for the country by setting good agendas that help the nation grow. However, many journalists set negative agendas for politicians, and this should be corrected.”
As a journalist himself, Ajadi said: “Journalists are the real gatekeepers of society. Without journalists, politicians are not going anywhere. The way journalists shape society determines what that society will become. It is our duty to shape it positively and not negatively. The way any politician handles publicity will determine his growth. So, I want us to cooperate to achieve our goals.
“Journalists go out and beam their searchlights on the needs of society and draw the attention of government and stakeholders to whatever is lacking and needs to be prioritised. They also commend the government on whatever is done right to the benefit of the people.
“If it is a case of bad roads that need repair or rehabilitation, journalists will expose it. All these are what make journalists the gatekeepers of society.”
Speaking about his political ambition, Ajadi said: “If I do not become governor and, by extension, president of this country, it would mean that the assignment God has given me to accomplish has been wasted. I want to serve at the lower level of governance and demonstrate the capacity for how I intend to develop my country as president.
“By the time I finish developing Oyo State, there will not be much need for campaigns. I believe in God, and I believe in myself to become president of this country one day.”
He added: “Our leader, Governor Seyi Makinde, has performed well, but because governance is a continuum, by the time I get there as governor, we will introduce another set of activities and styles to further change Oyo State for the better.”
Ajadi, who has publicly declared his ambition to become governor of Oyo State, expressed optimism about the future.
