Publisher of KTH Daily, Ima Niboro, has relinquished control of the newspaper’s day-to-day editorial operations following his appointment as a spokesperson for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Niboro, a former presidential spokesman and former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said he took the decision to protect the credibility and independence of the newspaper amid his new political responsibilities.
He said his formal entry into the Tinubu Campaign Council had created a situation in which his continued control of the newspaper’s editorial decisions could raise questions about conflict of interest or the perception of bias.
Niboro said although he had never hidden his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or his support for President Tinubu, his new campaign role required a clearer separation between his political activities and the newspaper’s journalism.
“I have never concealed my political convictions. I am a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress and have been a vigorous and unapologetic supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration,” he said.
According to him, his appointment now places him directly within the campaign structure, with the responsibility of articulating, defending and advancing the case for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
He therefore said the editorial team of KTH Daily would henceforth have full responsibility for the newspaper’s news judgement, headlines, political coverage, commentary and other editorial decisions.
Niboro said the arrangement was necessary because the publication must be able to independently report and scrutinise the Tinubu administration, opposition parties and other contenders in the 2027 presidential contest.
He also pointed to the newspaper’s name, “Keeping Them Honest”, saying its founding philosophy requires the publication to demand accountability from all sides of the political divide.
“My new political responsibilities should not confer undue editorial advantage or indeed disadvantage on the campaign I represent, nor impose the same on those who oppose it,” he said.
Niboro described credibility as the most valuable asset of journalism, stressing that protecting public trust sometimes requires journalists and media owners to create sufficient distance between personal interests and newsroom decisions.
He expressed pride in the growth of KTH Daily since its establishment and thanked its journalists, contributors, partners and readers for their support.
He said he would now concentrate on his campaign assignment and make the strongest possible case for Tinubu and his administration, while allowing the KTH Daily newsroom to independently carry out its editorial responsibilities.