By KosofePost
The founder and publisher of KosofePost, Bilesanmi Abayomi, popularly known as Koko, has cautioned online media practitioners with partisan leanings against suppressing candidates’ stories while still collecting payments for coverage.
Abayomi gave the advice in a public statement issued on Monday as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Recounting what he described as an unforgettable experience during the build-up to the 2023 general election, the publisher said he once coordinated an exclusive interview for a House of Representatives candidate involving multiple media professionals.
According to him, while KosofePost published the interview, another participating media outlet allegedly declined to publish the story and failed to refund the payment. He claimed the decision was influenced by the fact that the candidate’s responses during the engagement challenged the political interests of the outlet’s principal or benefactor.
Abayomi stressed that in a professional media environment, uncomfortable criticism should not result in information suppression. Rather, he said media organisations should publish such content and, where necessary, provide counter-positions or clarifications through their platforms.
He added that the candidate involved was unaware of the development but noted that the incident informed his personal decision to discontinue working with journalists or platforms he perceives as operating with partisan bias in any public relations or media facilitation assignments.
The KosofePost publisher emphasised that election outcomes should ultimately be determined by voters through processes that are free, fair, credible and transparent, not shaped by media manipulation.
He concluded by urging media practitioners to uphold professionalism and public interest at all times, stressing that professional integrity must remain paramount in political coverage.