By Joy Odor
As the Edo State Gubernatorial election kick-off in fifteen days (15), the Independent National Electroal Commission (INEC) has reminded the media to remember that democracy thrives when the electorate are well-informed, truth is upheld, and all stakeholders from the voters to the media act with integrity and responsibility.
The media was also charged to verify any information concerning the election with INEC before sharing it with the public, affirming the dangers posed by fake and misleading news during election period which has the potential to disrupt the electoral process, undermine public confidence.
The National Commissioner and Chair Information, and Vote Education Council (IVEC), Sam Oluwekun gave the charge in his speech on Friday in Abuja at a media briefing with members of the INEC Press Corps to have a good knowledge and understanding of what is expected of them while covering the Edo election.
According to him, the briefing becomes necessary knowing the crucial role, media play in shaping the democracy, noting that the media is not just a conveyor of information but also a vital player in the democratic process, particularly during elections.
Oluwekun who was represented by Director Voter education and Publicity (VEP), Mrs Mary Nkem assured that the Commission has taken proactive steps to combat this menace by being transparent in all its dealings, adding that INEC have made it a culture to constantly update the public through media after every Commission’s meeting when decisions are taken.
He promised to intensify the information flow as it moved closer to the Edo governorship election as measures have been put in place to minimize circulation of false information.
“We cannot do this alone. We believe that you will remain a bulwark against fake and misleading information about the Commission and the electoral process.
“Your work influences public perception, informs voter decisions, and upholds the integrity of the electoral process.
“This engagement is no doubt timely as preparations for the conduct of the off-cycle Governorship election in Edo state, is only 15 days away.
“Preparations have reached an advanced and critical stage.
“Due to the importance placed on the role of the media in elections, we have held similar engagements with Media Executives and Journalists based in Edo state” he noted.
The IVEC Chairman informed that INEC doors are open for any inquiries, and have established multiple channels through which the public can reach them for accurate information.
“Your work influences public perception, informs voter decisions, and upholds the integrity of the electoral process. This engagement is no doubt timely as preparations for the conduct of the off-cycle Governorship election in Edo state, is only 15 days away” he said.
In his paper presentation on the “Roles of the Media and INEC Social Media Platforms in Democratic Elections” delivered by the INEC Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Rotimi Oyekanmi challenged the media to read and be familiarize with all the sections of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC Regulations and Guidelines.
He affirmed that if the media would make use of all the documents, it would be easy for them to counter fake news and even educate the public.
“Facts are sacred. No matter the temptation, don’t allow bias into news reporting. Just stick with facts. I’m very, very particular about that. And for me, that is what defines a journalist.
“Let’s always protect our facts and figures. I know in this kind of breaking news, people want to be the first to report. But when you don’t report facts, what are you reporting? If you break the news and somebody comes and debunks all you have written, it becomes a problem.
“And for me, it’s very painful for me when important newspapers, national newspapers, make mistakes. And anything you do, remember, this is the most dangerous, that anything you do is on the internet forever. You can’t retrieve it. Even if you delete, you only delete it from your system.
There is no currency like integrity. If you have integrity, people will know you. That’s the truth. If you don’t have integrity, people will know you. People will talk about what you are doing behind your back, even to your face, and there’s nothing you can do. So, Nigerians are like Israelis. They are very difficult to read. They are very difficult” he stressed.
