Digital Governance at the heart of democracy — Reps Spokesman

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives Press Corps and parliamentary media teams on Monday converged in Abuja for a one-day capacity-building retreat focused on digital governance and legislative reporting, organised by the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs with support from Paradigm Initiative.
Declaring the retreat open at the National Assembly Library, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs and Spokesman of the House, Rep. Akintunde Rotimi Jr. (MNIPR), said the programme was designed to strengthen professionalism, ethics and technical competence in legislative communication amid the growing influence of digital issues on governance.
Rep. Rotimi noted that the modern legislative environment is increasingly shaped by digital governance, data protection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, online safety and digital rights, stressing that accurate interpretation and reporting of these issues are critical to democracy and public trust.
According to him, the retreat aligns with the vision of the Tenth Assembly to function as “The People’s House” by promoting transparency, engagement and accessibility in parliamentary communication. He added that journalists and parliamentary media teams play a vital role in shaping public understanding of legislative activities and democratic institutions.
“The responsibility to report digital-related legislation with insight, balance and technical understanding continues to grow. This is why today’s programme is structured as a serious professional engagement,” Rotimi said.
He commended Paradigm Initiative for providing technical support and expertise, and urged participants to engage actively in the sessions designed to enhance practical reporting skills and legislative interpretation.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Gboyega Onadiran, described the retreat as timely, noting that information now travels faster than legislation in the digital age.
Onadiran said journalism and legislative communication have moved beyond traditional headlines to a complex digital ecosystem shaped by data, algorithms and artificial intelligence.
He emphasized that the duty of the Press Corps is not only to report parliamentary proceedings but to make them understandable, credible and relevant to citizens.
He commended Rep. Rotimi and members of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs for their commitment to regular capacity-building programmes, applauding efforts to strengthen collaboration between journalists and media aides.
Onadiran also thanked Paradigm Initiative Nigeria for its partnership and support, urging participants to take full advantage of the retreat to improve the quality of legislative reporting in Nigeria.
The retreat featured sessions on digital rights, the state of digital freedoms in Nigeria, legislative interpretation and practical simulations aimed at enhancing reporting standards in the National Assembly.