The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has petitioned the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) over what it called its unprofessional conduct in the use of a photograph containing former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Accord Party governorship candidate in the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, and other members of the party.
The petition was forwarded to the organisation through its Zonal Manager, Ibadan, by the State Director of Publicity of APC, Mr. Olawale Sadare.
A photograph of Ladoja, in company with Obasanjo and others had on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, been used in many national newspapers.
According to the party, the caption of the photograph suggested that it was taken at the University College Hospital, Ibadan during a visit by Obasanjo to sympathise with Accord Party on the death of some of its members during the mayhem that attended last Sunday’s rally in the Odinjo area of Ibadan, the state capital.
“We want to bring to your notice a case of unprofessional conduct by one of your photographers,” APC said, adding that its investigation revealed that it was a hatchet job by the photographer, in concert with the Accord Party, to mislead the general public.
“We want to state with all emphasis at our disposal that Obasanjo was never anywhere near UCH or Ladoja’s residence and never came to sympathise with Ladoja on the said date.
“Obasanjo came to Ibadan on a private visit around Yemetu area and Ladoja merely gate-crashed to see the former President and a photo-op ensued.
“This singular mischief by your photographer must have caused a grave embarrassment to the former President and indeed, has misled the general public into believing that a photograph of such was taken at the UCH,” APC said.
The party, therefore, implored NAN, as a respected public concern known for upholding the tenets of journalism and high level integrity, to investigate the allegation, apply sanction where necessary and retract the caption, stating that this was “in the interest of truth for which the organisation is noted”.
