By Joy Odor
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has challenged the media to have a working knowledge of the new 2022 signed Electroal Act, the new innovations and issues in the electoral process to report 2023 general properly well and be on the same page with INEC.
The INEC Chairman stated this in his speech during the Town Hall Meeting and Capacity Building for Editors, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, in Abuja on Thursday.
Represented by the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, Professor Yakubu pointed out that without a good knowledge and understating of the law and its dynamics, the media may not be in a position to perform well.
INEC Chairman maintained that journalists, editors and media managers must also read and understand the new template for the conduct of elections.
In view of this, he said, INEC would organise zonal trainings and workshops for the media on the new issues in the electoral legal framework and practical issues in their implementation.
Professor Yakubu said the media and the Commission must sustain its engagement and partnership in the interest of democracy and the nation.
According to him, the Commission is consctheious of its responsibility in the electoral process and would continually and continuously engage the Nigerian people in the electoral process.
He called for greater partnership with media, especially in the implementation of the new electoral law.
“Media managers and editors have a huge role to play in the 2023 general election. The first challenge is to get media to understand the new issues and provisions in the constitutive electoral legal framework.
“There are fundamental and progressive issues and innovations in the new Electoral Act.
“The Commission will organise zonal trainings and workshops for the media on the new issues in the electoral legal framework and practical issues in their implementation.
“The media must have a working knowledge of the new law, the new innovations and issues in the electoral process to report well.
“Journalists, editors and media managers must also read and understand the new template for the conduct of elections.
“The Commission believes that this meeting is timely and germane considering the signing into law of the new electoral legal framework and the release of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general election.
“It is instructive that editors and media managers are providing critical stakeholders with this platform to interrogate their sacred duties to the Nigerian people and the electoral process. It shows that the media is also open and accountable.
“The Commission has enjoyed tremendous cooperation from the media in the reporting of the electoral process and offering critical and useful suggestions on how to improve the electoral environment and the regime of elections,” the INEC Chairman said.
He said INEC was ready to fully implement the Electoral Law for the conduct of credible elections as activities for the February 2023 General Elections had started.
Professor Yakubu, who urged the media to intensify efforts on public enlightenment, added that orthodox media must try as much as possible to filter information coming from the social media to guard against dissemination of information that might have national security implications and lead to breakdown of law and order.
The INEC Chairman, who said the media must continue to monitor the organisation and operations of the different political parties in Nigeria, advised the media to name and shame the vote buyers corrupting electoral process.
According to him, INEC cannot register any new political parties 12 months before the elections and that no merger of political parties can be done nine months to the elections.
He assured that the new electoral law had eliminated all forms of electoral vices such as ballot snatching and double voting, among others.
He called on the media to feel free to approach INEC for credibility of reports to avoid heating the polity.
Professor Yakubu assured that the Commission would always be willing to provide the needed information that would guarantee full implementation of the new Electoral Law.
He therefore challenged the media to study the new Electoral Law to be on the “same page” with INEC. “We must not allow the current regime of electoral impunity to continue.
“Violence and electoral malfeasance pervade our electoral process because we do not name and shame the perpetrators and they are not brought to book,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the President of the NGE, Alhaji Mustapha Issa said the freedom of the media could not be traded off in whatever political guise.
Alhaji Issa said the media should truly and jealously protect the democracy, which is still the best form of government.
He said agenda setting still remained the media’s major focus, adding that the media is now ready to set agenda for politicians.
The NGE President called on the media to close ranks and refuse politicians antics to divide the society through religious gimmicks and social vices.
The Chairman of the town hall meeting and the Group Managing Director, DAAR Communications, Mr Tony Akiotu said the society had not been fair to the media.
Mr Akiotu said the event had provided the opportunity for the media to assess itself and called on the media to close ranks and fight against polarisation of the media, while commending its efforts in the society.
Contributing, the Senior Editor, Washington Examiner, Mr David Mark stressed the importance of the media in a free society.
He said the freedom of the media was guaranteed in both the American and Nigerian constitutions.
Mr Mark called on the Nigerian media to be professional in ensuring that news sources were jealously guarded.
He however commended the media for peaceful transition of power during the former President Goodluck Jonathan to the present administration.
