Babafemi Ojudu

Babafemi Ojudu was born on 27 March 1961 at Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State. He attended Ado Grammar School in Ado-Ekiti (1973–77). ==Journalism==

In 1987, Ojudu started writing for African Concord magazine, initially as a staff writer and moving up to become assistant editor. The job involved extensive travel in Nigeria and to other African countries. In 1992 he resigned in protest at a request by M.K.O. Abiola, the publisher, to apologise to President Ibrahim Babangida over an article critical of the military regime. In 1993 Ojudu and other former workers from African Concord established TheNEWS magazine, with Ojudu as its first managing editor. Ojudu was arrested, tortured and detained several times during the Sani Abacha regime (1993–1998). Later in 1996 Ojudu went to the US for six months as a fellow at the School of Communications, Howard University, Washington, D.C.. On his return in June 1997 he was appointed Group Managing Editor of Independent Communications Network Ltd, publishers of TheNEWS magazine, P.M. News and Tempo. In addition to his managing editor work, both before and after the return to democracy, Ojudu has been a member or chairman of several organizations and committees involved in media and human rights. In total, Ojudu spent 26 years in media practice before entering politics in 2010. ==Political career==

Ojudu formally declared that he would run for the Senate in August 2010. The 10 January 2011 primaries for ACN candidate for the Ekiti Central Senatorial seat were held in three of the five local government areas (LGAs) that make up the Senatorial district, and Ojudu won in all three. The primaries for the other two LGAs were rescheduled, but were ultimately not held. The ACN submitted Ojudu's name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as their candidate for Ekiti Central. However, on 17 March 2011 a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a judgment that recognized the incumbent Senator Festus Bode-Ola as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for Ekiti Central. The Chairman of the Ekiti State ACN, Chief Jide Awe, accused Bode Ola of forgery in the papers he had filed saying the INEC had recognized him as candidate.{{Cite news |url=http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110323632298 |title=ACN chairman accuses candidate of forgery as court stops Ojudu |author=Femi Makinde |date=23 March 2011 |access-date=10 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110325201158/http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110323632298 |archive-date=25 March 2011 In the April 2011 election for the Ekiti Central Senatorial seat, Ojudu polled 67,747 running on the ACN platform. Labour Party (LP) candidate and former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose received 29,773 votes. Kayode Alufa of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) received 29,488 votes. After conceding defeat, Alufa congratulated Ojudu, saying: "Our God in his wisdom has chosen you with your experience and good credentials, which I am sure you will deploy for the service and improvement of our impoverished area."{{Cite news |url=http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/4587-ekiti-pdp-senatorial-candidate-congratulates-ojudu.html |location=Lagos, Nigeria |title=Ekiti PDP senatorial candidate congratulates Ojudu |date=20 April 2011 |access-date=10 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502041945/http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/4587-ekiti-pdp-senatorial-candidate-congratulates-ojudu.html |archive-date=2 May 2011 On 7 January 2016 Ojudu was named Special Adviser Political Matters by President Muhammadu Buhari. ==References==