By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Ahead of the off-cycle governorship elections slated for Edo state on Saturday, September 21, 2024 and Ondo state on November 16, 2024, the Independent National Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has tasked the Nigeria media to always uphold the truth, fair reporting, integrity of election and to comply with the Nigeria Media Code of Election Coverage.
This appeal was made by INEC National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun during a Pre-Election Briefing held on Friday at INEC Media Centre, INEC Headquarters, Abuja.
Olumekun who was represented by Director Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Mrs Mary Nkem, noted that the briefing becomes necessary knowing the crucial role, media play in shaping the democracy.
According to the him, as the fourth estate of the realm, the media is not just a conveyor of information but also a vital player in the democratic process, particularly during elections.
Said he: “Your work influences public perception, informs voter decisions, and upholds the integrity of the electoral process. This engagement is no doubt timely as preparations for the conduct of the off-cycle Governorship election in Edo state, is only 15 days away.”
The National Commissioner also disclosed that preparations for Edo election have reached an advanced and critical stage and due to the importance placed on the role of the media in elections, INEC have held similar engagements with Media Executives and Journalists based in Edo state.
According to him it is therefore important for the members of the INEC Press Corps to have a good knowledge and understanding of what is expected of them.
“This is necessary for an informed and balanced coverage of the Commission’s activities and the dissemination of information to the general public”, he said.
Olumekun noted that on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Chairman of the Commission will lead other management team to monitor the Mock Accreditation of voters in selected Polling Units in Edo state to test-run the deployment of BVAS for the election as well as the upload of scanned polling units results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The next day being Wednesday, September 11, 2024 in Benin City, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu will preside over the INEC Stakeholders Meeting involving the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and all relevant stakeholders in Edo state including Political Parties and Civil Society Groups (CSOs).
Finally, INEC will on Thursday, September 12, 2024, organise the signing of the Peace Accord by candidates which will take place under the supervision of the National Peace Committee (NPC) chaired by former military Head of State of Nigeria, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).
Speaking further, Olumekun said it is going to be a very busy period for the Commission and therefore urged the media to key into the programmes in Edo.
“The Training of Security Personnel has been concluded, while the Training of Ad-hoc staff, i.e. Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, and Assistant Presiding Officers starts today 6th to the 15th of this month in Edo state.
“The Commission is concluding arrangements with the land and maritime transport unions for logistics. The printing of triplicate copies of voters’ register for each of the 4,519 Polling Units in Edo State is virtually completed.
“The installation and configuration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to be deployed on Election Day is completed. Observer and accreditation tags are being produced as well”, Olumekun said.
He said INEC accredited a total of 892 personnel were approved after careful review from 122 organisations who applied and printing of the tags has commenced and would conclude the process on Monday 9th September 2024.
Meanwhile, he noted that measures have also been put in place to minimize circulation of false information as the Edo election approaches, pointing out that INEC cannot do this alone.
Said he: “We believe that you will remain a bulwark against fake and misleading information about the Commission and the electoral process.
“We urge the public and the media to play their part by verifying any information related to the election directly with the Commission before sharing. Our doors are open for any inquiries, and we have established multiple channels through which the public can reach us for accurate information. Let us all work together to ensure that only the truth prevails during this election period”, he appealed
“As we approach this important election, remember that democracy thrives when the electorate are well-informed, the truth is upheld, and all stakeholders—from the voters to the media—act with integrity and responsibility.” he stressed
He assured that the Commission is committed to ensuring that the Edo Governorship Election is conducted smoothly, ‘and we count on your cooperation to make this a reality’.
In his presentation on the Roles of the Media in Democratic Elections/INEC Social Media Platforms and INEC News, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Honourable Chairman of INEC, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, emphasized INEC’s dedication to ensuring clear, transparent and timely communication with the public through the various media platforms.
He however reminded the media as the critical stakeholder in the electoral process to uphold the tenets of the journalism profession and to help in Countering Misinformation and Disinformation, and to ensure Fairness, Objectivity and that facts a sacred. READ ALSO:
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