Politics

Journalists are critical to peaceful elections – CAPPA

By Web News 568

By Moses Morenikeji

The roles of journalists towards the peaceful conduct of the 2023 general elections came to the fore at a one-day training organised recently in Ibadan for media practitioners.

The training, organised by the Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, was well attended by journalists from broadcast, print and online media organisations.

The Executive Director of CAPPA, Mr Oluwafemi Akinbode, in his address of welcome, said the election is as old as the country itself.

Mr Akinbode maintained that what journalists feed the public can either promote peace or incite violence before, during and after the election, hence his advice that journalists should be conscious of what they publish or broadcast.

In a presentation on “Understanding Conflicts and Drivers of Conflicts”, a lecturer at the Lagos State University, Dr Tunde Akanni, opined that conflicts are functions of peculiar incompatible interests of stakeholders.

He identified factors responsible for political violence to include but not limited to, name callings, politicians’ inordinate ambitions, bias by the electoral umpire, unacceptable interference by the international communities and inciting or fake news by the media.

Dr Akanni reiterated the need for journalists to always fact-check their reports before being published or broadcast.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the International Press Centre and a former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos Council, Mr Lanre Arogundade, who spoke on “Election and Conflict Sensitive Reporting”, advised journalists to be conflict-sensitive, reject and refute hateful comments from guests/politicians that feature on their programmes or interview.

He stated that no story is worth the life of any journalist.

Participants at the training were also taken through the Electoral Law and Guide for Media Coverage of Election Results by a legal officer with CAPPA, Aderonke Ige and had another session on “Newsroom Culture and Peace building in Election Reporting” anchored by a Development Strategist, Dr Olayinka Oyegbile.

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Politics

Ondo Guber Polls: INEC, IPC, Train Journalists On Unbiased Reportage

By Web News 692

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it is committed to conducting credible, free, fair and acceptable elections in the nation.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi made the assertion in a remark at a webinar training for political reporters in Ondo State organised by the International Press Centre, IPC, ahead of the October 10, 2020 governorship election.

Mr Oyekanmi described the media as great partner in the democratic process hence the need to cherish the robust relationship, he then urged the media to remain an unbiased observer and ensure balanced reportage of electioneering events as it unfolds.

In an opening address, the Executive Director of the IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade charged journalists to be more professional in reporting political activities and follow the five sections contained in the Nigerian media code for election coverage.

Two resource persons, Messrs Martin Oloja and David Ajikobi took turns to remind journalists on the need to avoid sectionalism and engage in issue-based reportage by segregating facts from opinions.

Thirty-five political reporters from the state participated in the webinar training titled “Capacity building session on professionalism, factual, conflict sensitive and safety-conscious reporting of the Ondo State governorship election”.

Olumide Abudu