Nigerian editors express concern over 2019 election

Mon, Oct 15, 2018 | By publisher


Media

By Benprince Ezeh

Nigerian editors have expressed concern over the level of insecurity in the country. They said that the nation deserved more than rhetoric and political slogans on issues of citizens’ welfare.

The editors who held a five-day conference in Asaba, Delta State under the aegis of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, noted in a nine-point communiqué that elections in Nigeria were not built on truth and, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to remain independent in its practice by allowing citizens’ votes to count, saying this would help sustain democracy and good governance.

The conference, which held between October 10 and October 14, deliberated on the theme “Credible Elections, Sustainable Democracy and the Nigerian media,” had in its gathering Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, in attendance. Osibanjo who commended the 91 political parties in the country for the maturity displayed during the party primaries of most of them but frowned at the allegations of vote buying which the editors observed was a subtle but worrisome way of institutionalising corruption.

Nevertheless, the editors expressed the need for Nigerian journalists to intensify efforts that will deepen democracy through sustained investigative, balance and analytical reportage and urged the publishers and chief executives of media establishments to play down on the commoditisation of information to enhance objectivity.

They similarly expressed concern that the role of traditional media was being threatened with the emergence of the social media where balanced reporting, truth and accuracy were gradually and consistently being relegated.

That notwithstanding, they commended the government and good people of Delta State for the rapid growth in infrastructure across the state as well as human capacity development.

– Oct. 15, 2018 @ 18:29 GMT |

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