The African Action Congress (AAC), South-West Zone, has accused Arise News of undermining democratic fairness after its Osun State governorship candidate was excluded from a scheduled town hall ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The party described the exclusion as “unjust, undemocratic” and a troubling departure from the principles of balanced political journalism.
In a strongly worded statement signed by the party’s Deputy National Chairman, South-West, Lijofi Victor, the AAC said it was writing to formally register its “strong displeasure” over the omission of its duly nominated candidate from the Arise News programme, The Battle For Osun State.
The town hall is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in Osogbo.
According to the AAC, Arise News publicly announced three participating candidates: Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Dr Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The party questioned the basis for excluding its candidate, insisting that the decision denies Osun voters the opportunity to hear and assess all credible alternatives before casting their ballots.
“While we commend Arise News for providing a platform for political engagement, we consider the deliberate omission of the AAC candidate unjust, undemocratic, and a failure of the press in its constitutional duty under Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” the statement said.
The party argued that Section 22 places a responsibility on the press to uphold the accountability of government to the people and ensure balanced coverage of public affairs.
The AAC maintained that the issue was not merely about giving one candidate a television platform, but about protecting the electorate’s right to make an informed democratic choice.
It said its candidate had been campaigning across all 30 local government areas of Osun State and therefore deserved an opportunity to present his policies and vision to the electorate.
“Selective inclusion undermines the very purpose of a town hall,” the party declared, insisting that voters should be allowed to compare candidates “side-by-side, without filters.”
The AAC further warned that restricting the event to three candidates could raise questions about Arise News’ neutrality and impartiality.
“By limiting the stage to 3 out of 4+ candidates, ARISE risks being seen as partisan rather than an impartial public-interest broadcaster,” the party stated.
The party subsequently demanded the immediate inclusion of its governorship candidate in the August 11 town hall.
It also demanded a public correction across Arise News platforms acknowledging the omission and confirming the candidate’s participation.
Beyond inclusion, the AAC demanded equal treatment and equal time for its candidate, including the opportunity to respond to questions on security, the economy, education and governance.
The party stressed that its protest was not intended to disrupt the event or undermine the role of the media in the electoral process.
“The AAC believes in issue-based politics and peaceful democratic contest. We do not seek to disrupt, but to participate,” the party said.
It added: “To exclude us is to silence thousands of Osun people who have aligned with our vision of a new Osun.”
The controversy comes at a politically sensitive moment as parties and candidates intensify campaigns, media appearances and voter engagement ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
For the AAC, the dispute has now become a broader question of whether every credible political voice in the race will be given a fair opportunity to make its case to the people of Osun.
The party urged Arise News to reverse the decision before the town hall, expressing hope that the broadcaster would uphold what it described as the highest standards of fairness, press freedom and democratic responsibility.