Peter Obi’s Leaked Phone Call: Journalist Suspended Over Social Media Policy Violation

• Ayoola Babalola, a journalist for Peoples Gazette, has been suspended due to his alleged online conduct that violated the newspaper’s social media policy.

• The reporter was responsible for leaking the conversation between Peter Obi and Oyedepo.

• Babalola agreed to undergo counselling during the one-month suspension period, and the senior editor has expressed optimism in welcoming him back to continue his journalism.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the journalist responsible for releasing the alleged phone conversation between the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi and the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, has been suspended.

Peoples Gazette on Tuesday suspended Ayoola Babalola over his online conduct that violated the newspaper’s social media policy and called into question its integrity.

The development was announced in a memo released by the platform’s Deputy Managing Editor, Boladale Adekoya.

Babalola, following the suspension, agreed to attend counselling during the break to further enhance his conduct.

Adekoya, in the memo, stated, “Ayoola Babalola met with the HR, where he was directed to proceed on suspension for one month without pay.

“Mr Babalola is a vibrant and respected member of the organisation’s editorial team,” the publication’s senior staff noted.

He, however, stated that the reporter’s “conduct on social media, both from months past and as recently as last weekend, grossly violated the organisation’s guideline on personnel conduct.”

After carefully reviewing the reporter’s scathing retorts to relentless online trolls, management decided. It concluded that Babalola did not act with the decorum and professionalism expected of The Gazette’s employees.

Adekoya noted that suspension was a challenging decision “for the organisation: Mr Babalola faced vicious attacks on social media following our scoop on Peter Obi’s phone call with Bishop Oyedepo.

“Still, while the organisation sympathises and stands strongly with Mr Babalola and all staff members who frequently come under social media onslaught, the manner colleagues handle online trolls distinguishes us as professionals.”

Although the controversial tweets had been taken down by Babalola, screenshots of the tweets could still “impugn our professionalism PG well into the future. This should never have happened.

“The management appreciates Mr Babalola’s service and cooperation in handling this situation. This informed the decision to let him proceed on one-month suspension with counselling.”

After his suspension and counselling sessions, the senior editor expressed optimism in welcoming Babalola back into the organisation.

Adekoya, in the final paragraph of the memo, stated, “We are happy to welcome Mr Babalola back to continue his fearless journalism in this organisation.”

Babalola said he would abide by the management’s decision after noticing how newsroom colleagues expressed concerns about his posts that could vitiate their work.

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