The leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on the Federal Government and media owners to protect newsmen before, during and after the 2023 elections.
They charged the politicians not to make the forthcoming elections do or die affair, adding that they should play by the rules.
These among other resolutions were reached at a one-day capacity-building workshop for journalists in the South-West on the topic “Conflict-Sensitive Reporting and 2023 General Elections” held at the Dapo Aderogba Hall, NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Addressing journalists at the workshop, NUJ President, Chris Isiguzo urged men of the pen profession to avail themselves a copy of the 2022 Electoral Act, stressing that media professionals should brace up for the challenges ahead and should never attempt to derail from the ethics of the profession.
“It is part of our jobs to hold candidates, the general public and the leaders accountable. The media must also beam its searchlight on the electoral umpire, take them to accountability and probe their activities”, he stated.
Isiguzo, who was represented by NUJ National Trustee Member, Mrs. Abimbola Oyetunde also charged journalists to avoid hate journalism and fake news, describing the two as evils that can destroy a society.
He said: “The advent of multi-media technology has changed the pattern and flow of communication, globally and since journalism is in the business and practice of communication, it has also been impacted upon tremendously.
Social media platforms have thrown up challenges and opportunities for the practice of journalism which many journalists and their media organisations have not embraced.
“The Social Media is both a threat and yet affords opportunities for journalism and businesses especially in Nigeria. It is a healthy trend but there is need for change in roles between traditional media and social media. Journalists need to avail themselves of the opportunities being provided by the Social Media Platforms to provide credible information and reduce the prevalence of hate speech and fake news. This will assist immeasurably in dousing tension in the polity.
“The media plays a major role in keeping the citizenry abreast of current events and raising awareness of various issues in any society. They also have an extremely significant impact on the public’s views and ways of thinking. The media are the primary means through which public opinions are shaped and at times manipulated. If this is the media role in a normal course of events, it becomes even more vital in exceptional periods, one of which is electoral junctures, when the media become primary players.
“Elections constitute a basic challenge to the media, putting their impartiality and objectivity to the test. The task of the media, especially national media outlets, is not and should not be to function as a mouthpiece for any government body or particular candidate. Its basic role is to enlighten and educate the public and act as a neutral, objective platform for the free debate of all points of view.
“Journalists in Nigeria should work towards the advancement of the right of freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of the press, media independence, conflict transformation and peace building. These are prerequisites for open governance and development, which ultimately serve the public interest.
“In order to properly advance public interests, earn public trust and be watchdogs of the society, the pursuit of truth and public good must be the cornerstone of journalism practice in Nigeria. This makes it obligatory for every journalist to maximally comply with ethical principles and professional standards. It also makes it obligatory for every journalist to be entitled to decent wages, protection from attacks or hazards and conducive working environment.
“It is our hope that participants will avail themselves of this training opportunity to ensure that a level playing field is provided for all political actors and ensure that peoples’ votes will count through a highly professional management of news by journalists who are equipped with international best practices. This is the only way we as professionals can advance the course of peace and ensure a credible and peaceful transition.”
Also speaking at the workshop, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter’s Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, represented by a Deputy Director in the Commission, Mrs Ndidi Okafor, said that one of the objectives of the capacity building workshop was to provide opportunity for journalists to be aware of the key activities of the electoral umpire in the coming 2023 general election.
Okoye added that journalists need to report INEC activities accurately before, during and after the 2023 election, stressing that they must have clear understanding of the 2022 Electoral Act.
”A journalist who is talking about the Electoral Act must know that there was Electoral Act 2010, and that what the country is operating currently is no longer Electoral Act 2010, but the 2022 Electoral Act. If you don’t know this, you will not be able to inform the public accurately. So, that is one of the objectives of the workshop”, Okafor stated.
She described the act of politicians who are buying PVCs with the aim of rigging the forthcoming general election as effort in futility.
NUJ Vice President B Zone, Comrade Ronke Samo appreciated NUJ President for his foresight to organize the workshop. She urged all participants to utilize the opportunity very well.
“We are trained to be agenda setters and opinion moulders. I trust Southwest journalists to do the needful during the forthcoming general election.” She stated.
Meanwhile, the duo of INEC’s Heads of Legal Services and ICT, Barrister Faith Okorie and Mrs. Wumi Balogun took journalists through the 2022 Electoral Act and the technology being deployed by the commission in the coming elections respectively.
During their paper presentation titled “Electoral Act 2022 and the 2023 General Election” and “INEC’s New Technologies for 2023 General Election” respectively, the two heads of the Commission’s sensitive departments made it clear that it is practically impossible for anyone to rig the election as the commission is armed with sophisticated technology and the new Electoral Act.
They both called on media practitioners to help enlighten the general public that their vote will definitely count as nobody will be disenfranchised just as nobody will be able to rig elections.
In his closing remarks, the NUJ Chairman in Oyo State, Comrade Ademola Babalola called on the Federal Government to provide bailout funds for media houses as it did for other critical sectors to mitigate against the effect of Covid-19.
Babalola stressed that the bailout funds should be given to support journalists for them to be able to carry out their duty effectively and efficiently.
