ASABA, Delta State — Comrade Churchill Oyowe has been re-elected Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, following the council’s election held on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Oyowe’s victory has been followed by calls for unity, reconciliation and improved leadership, as defeated candidates and newly elected officials expressed appreciation to their supporters and pledged commitment to the progress of the union.
Comrade Kenneth Onojomena Obieh, who contested under the STAND-UP TEAM, congratulated Oyowe and acknowledged the outcome of the election, while urging his supporters to remain calm and support the newly re-elected chairman and his executive.
In a statement titled “Heartfelt Appreciation,” Obieh thanked his supporters, chapel chairmen, elders, women journalists, friends and well-wishers for their contributions throughout the electioneering process.
He described the election as an opportunity to strengthen internal democracy, insisting that although his team lost by 17 votes, the outcome should not be regarded as a defeat.
According to him, the contest demonstrated that every vote matters and that the desire for a stronger, more accountable and united council remains alive.
Obieh said his team’s campaign was built around the ideals of stability, transparency, accountability, new ideas, dignity, unity and prosperous leadership.
He urged members of the STAND-UP TEAM and their supporters across the council’s 18 chapels to remain united and law-abiding, while extending maximum support to Oyowe and his executive.
“The election has come and gone. The NUJ family remains one, and I hold no bitterness. When the council succeeds, we all succeed,” Obieh said.
He also congratulated other successful candidates and commended all contestants for participating in the electoral process, expressing hope that the ideals promoted during his campaign would continue to influence the union’s development.
Meanwhile, Comrade Felix Ekwu, who emerged as State Secretary of the council, has expressed appreciation to members, elders and leaders for the confidence reposed in him.
Ekwu described his election as a collective responsibility and a call to dedicated service, pledging to discharge his duties with integrity, transparency, humility and commitment to the welfare of journalists.
He also extended a hand of fellowship to members who supported other candidates, stressing the need to build a stronger, more united and progressive NUJ Delta State Council.
The post-election messages come as attention shifts to the expectations facing the re-elected chairman and his executive, particularly regarding unity, accountability, members’ welfare and the consolidation of the council’s achievements.
The Consolidation Team, under which Oyowe secured re-election, has expressed its commitment to carrying every member along and building on the chairman’s previous achievements for the benefit of the union.
With the election concluded, members will be looking to the new leadership to translate its promises into practical action, strengthen cooperation among the council’s 18 chapels and ensure that the interests of journalists remain central to its administration.
The conciliatory messages from the contestants and elected officials have provided an opportunity for reconciliation, with renewed expectations that the council will move beyond electoral divisions and focus on professional development, unity and improved welfare for its members.
As the NUJ Delta State Council begins another chapter under Oyowe’s leadership, the challenge will be to turn campaign commitments and post-election assurances into tangible results for journalists across the state.
