Anosike to Journalists: Your Microphone Should Be a Microscope, Not a Megaphone … *Says 2027 Must Be Referendum of Ideas, Pledges NUJ Secretariat in 100 Days

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governorship Candidate for Abia State, Dr. Kelechi Anosike (Ph.D), on Thursday charged journalists to serve as “custodians of public memory” ahead of the 2027 elections, saying the media’s role must be scrutiny, not sycophancy.

Speaking as Special Guest at the September 2026 Monthly Congress of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council at the Press Centre, 66 Aba Road, Umuahia, Anosike outlined what he called a “welfarist partnership” between government, the media and the people.
Addressing journalists as a statesman and not as a politician, the PDP candidate said the 2027 governorship election must be judged on ideas and verifiable plans, not slogans or social media hype.

“2027 must be a referendum of ideas,” Anosike said. “The media should ask every candidate: What exactly will you do? How much will it cost? Where will the money come from? Who will implement it? What is the timeline? How will citizens measure success?”

The Deputy Governorship Candidate, Elder Amah Abraham, introducing his principal

He urged the media to interrogate candidates and governments based on “human outcomes” rather than project commissioning alone.
“Don’t just report how many roads were commissioned. Ask: Did the road reduce transportation costs? Did farmers get produce to market? Did businesses grow? Did people get jobs?” he said.

Anosike described journalists as critical stakeholders in democratic accountability.
“The journalist’s microphone should be more of a microscope, explaining government policies and how they affect the people, and not a megaphone for politicians,” he said. “A government that has nothing to hide should have nothing to fear from an informed journalist.”
The legal luminary and international oil and gas commercial lawyer, who holds degrees from Abia State University, the Nigerian Law School, and the University of Dundee, Scotland, said a welfarist government does not fear the press.

“Government and the media are not enemies, even though some governments perceive it as such,” he said. “A welfarist government empowers the media to ask hard questions, to interrogate and investigate what we do, and to report to government where policies are hurting the people.”

He argued that “the greatest asset and infrastructure of any government is the people,” and that any government that focuses on roads “with total disregard for the people is an irresponsible government.”
Linking his welfarism philosophy to the media, Anosike said a responsible government must also care for journalists’ welfare.
“If I say I’m a welfarist, I cannot exclude journalists,” he said. “Government should be concerned about your working conditions, safety and security, access to information, and professional training. Even retired media practitioners must not be forgotten.”
Announcing two immediate interventions, Anosike said he would procure a generator and fans for the NUJ Press Centre to end what he described as “undue hardship” of working in heat and completion of the abandoned NUJ Secretariat with modern ICT facilities within 100 days of assumption of office, if he wins
“A modern media industry requires modern working facilities. Government should not merely ask journalists to perform. Government should help create the environment in which they can perform professionally,” he said.

“We will support the media, but we will never buy the media,” he stressed. “Your loyalty must be to truth and to the people. The media must be free enough to criticize government, and responsible enough to tell the truth about government.”
On politics, he declared that the PDP remains “the strongest and most formidable party in Abia State” and that “this is a new PDP, with new welfarist mindsets, new focus, new direction.”

“Those you say killed Abia in 24 years have left PDP. They are now in APC, Labour, ADC,” he said. “Power belongs to the people.”

NUJ Chairman, Comrade Chidi Asonye, welcomed the guest and his entourage, including his running mate, Elder Amah Abraham; while the National Treasurer of NUJ, Comrade Victor Ndukwe thanked the PDP guber candidate for identifying with the Council
The Secretary, Comrade Iyke Onuegbu, many veterans and members of the council also attended the Congress.