Politics
2023: Guard Against Sensational Reportage, INEC Tells Journalists
Media professionals in Nasarawa State have been charged to avoid sensational reportage in the course of the 2023 general elections.
The National Commissioner in charge of Information and Chairman, Voter Education Committee of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barr Festus Okoye gave the charge in Lafia, on Wednesday, at a one-day training for journalists in the North-Central region ahead of the 2023 general elections.
According to him, sensationalism and casting of misleading headlines were capable of causing the breakdown of law and order in the country.
“Today, people are in a hurry and are not ready to read the body of a story, hence you should avoid the breaking-news-syndrome that would turn out to be fake where the details would never come.
“You must also avoid hasty generalisation and verify a particular issue before reporting. Also avoid ethnic and religious profiling and the copy and past journalism,” Okoye said.
The INEC Commissioner also called on journalists covering the forthcoming elections to be acquainted with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
He said the commission has introduced new technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter authentication and to enable electronic transmission of the results right from the polling units.
He noted that only voters registered by the commission and have obtained their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) would be allowed to vote, assuring of INEC’s commitment to conduct free, fair and credible elections come 2023.
On the safety of journalists, Okoye, said INEC was training security agents that would be on electoral duty on how to counsel individuals and journalists on national assignment.
The commissioner said that the commission had also initiated an updated policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to enable voting in the various IDPs camps across the country.
He, appealed to the media to cooperate with the INEC to enable them deliver on their mandate.
In his address, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Nasarawa,
Dr Uthman Ajidagba, commended INEC and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for organising the workshop, saying that it was apt, especially as the 2023 general elections were at the corner.
Ajidagba said INEC had begun its preparation for the forthcoming elections immediately after the 2019 general elections by identifying areas of strengths and weaknesses and improving on them.
“We introduced new innovations, especially the BVAS and it has been tested in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun elections,” he said.
Earlier, in a welcome address, President of the NUJ, Chris Isiguzo, represented by the National Treasurer, Dele Atunbi called on journalists to advance public interest, earn public trust and be watchdogs of the society by reporting the truth for the good of the society.
“It’s obligatory for every journalist to maximally comply with ethical principles and professional standards,” he said.
He, called on participants to avail themselves of the training opportunity to ensure that a level playing field is provided for all political actors and ensure that peoples’ votes count through a highly professional management of news before, during and after the 2023 general elections.
The Tide source reports that the training was organised by INEC in collaboration with NUJ and was attended by journalists from different media organisations in the state.
Papers presented at the workshop included: Electoral Act 2022 and the 2023 General Elections; INEC’s New Technologies for 2023 General Elections; and The Role Of The Media In The 2023 General Elections.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.