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In preparation for the general election in 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have trained Northwest journalists in conflict-sensitive reporting.
Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education INEC, stated that the media is a crucial stakeholder in political processes while speaking at the workshop on Wednesday in Kano.
The one-day capacity building on “Conflict- Sensitive reporting and the 2023 General Election for Northwest Journalists,” according to Okoye, who was represented by Mr. Samuel Bassey, Deputy Director, Gender and Inclusive INEC, improved participants’ abilities and professionalism.
He claims that among other things, the media’s role in the electoral process includes publishing information, educating voters, and providing important stakeholders with timely and pertinent information on the electoral process.
He emphasised that accurately reporting elections calls for specialised knowledge of the importance of Nigeria’s continued existence as a federal democracy as well as the ability to avoid making false reports that could destabilise law and order.
Okoye urged the media to refrain from spreading deliberate lies in an effort to increase traffic to websites, particularly online media.
Given that the Constitution has undergone numerous amendments in light of the passage of the New Electoral Act, he said, “the media must have a basic understanding and working knowledge of constitutional, legal, and regulating instrument.”
He clarified that INEC would keep working with the media as a resource for battling malicious falsehood, fake news, and misinformation, as well as important participants in the electoral process.
The NUJ National President, Mr. Chris Isiguzo, had earlier stated that the role of the media was to help the public participate in governance and development as well as to hold the government accountable.
Isiguzo, who was represented by Alhassan Nayaya, Deputy President NUJ North West Zone, said the training gave journalists the chance to come up with ideas before the 2023 elections.
As journalists, it is our responsibility to make information accessible and encourage civic engagement.
He urged journalists to turn to reputable media outlets rather than relying on the social media accounts of celebrities as sources for their news reporting.
Malam Muhammad Garba, the state’s commissioner for information, claimed that journalists were partners in advancement, particularly when it came to the question of democracy.
Because INEC has started a number of programmes and policies on changes to the electoral process, journalists need to be educated.
To inform and raise awareness of the election issue among Nigerians, he said, “We need the media as much as possible.”
In his presentation on “the Role of Media and 2023 General Election,” Alhaji Abdullahi Yusuf, a former deputy editor-in-chief of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), noted that the media has been instrumental in influencing political issues and events.
He claimed that media professionals needed ongoing education and retraining to improve their capacity for peak performance, particularly when covering political events and activities.
Additionally, Yusuf urged journalists and producers covering the elections to write factual, precise, objective reports using proper grammar.
Feed Origin: NAN
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