•Says Commission abhors censorship
•As NUJ President reaffirms media’s commitment to credible democracy
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu has warned that the Commission will not condone fake reportage of its activities.
Prof. Yakubu gave the warning during a consultative meeting with the media executives at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The Chairman, who made it abundantly clear that INEC will not interfere in reportage of the Commission’s activities by the media, added that it does not believe in news censorship.
He however declared that the Commission will not condone fake reportage of its activities.
In the words of the INEC Chairman, “a very important reality in today’s age of information technology is the spread of fake news and misinformation instantly and on a global scale.
“As I said on many occasions, INEC does not believe in censorship.
“The best antidote to fake news is greater openness and transparency.
“It is in furtherance of this policy that the Commission interfaces regularly with stakeholders through our regular consultative meetings”, he said.
While appreciating the Commission’s partnership with the media, the Chairman reassured that “INEC will continue to work closely with the media
He said, “We welcome your reports, commentaries and analyses on elections in particular and electoral activities in general.
“More specifically, some of the innovations introduced by the Commission to improve service delivery to the electorate, ensure the safety and security of journalists and grant them unimpeded access to various locations during elections and electoral activities are drawn from your reports as well as the suggestions and recommendations made during our quarterly meetings.
“I urge you to continue to be a bulwark against fake news and misleading narratives about the Commission and its activities”, the INEC Chairman said.
As both Edo and Ondo governorship elections approach, Prof. Yakubu urged media organisations to engage with political parties as well as their aspirants and report on the primaries with the same diligence and depth they report on the main election conducted by INEC.
His words, “Doing so will go a long way to strengthen our democracy since only the products of the party primaries are ultimately placed on the ballot paper for citizens to vote for in the main election. “Party primaries are as important as the main election conducted by INEC,” he said.
In his remark, the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr Chris Isiguzo, who spoke on behalf of other media executives, reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian media to transparent, credible, and inclusive electoral processes.
This is even as he said that the conduct of credible elections not only upholds the principles of democracy but also fosters national unity, stability, and progress.
According to him, “It reinforces the legitimacy of our democratic institutions and reaffirms the people’s trust in the electoral process.
“Therefore, the responsibility entrusted to INEC to conduct elections with integrity and impartiality cannot be overstated,” he added.
The NUJ President commended the unwavering commitment of INEC to upholding the highest standards of electoral integrity and transparency, saying “your dedication to ensuring that every vote counts and every voice is heard is commendable and serves as a beacon of hope for our democracy.”
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