Ahead of the Edo state gubernatorial off-cycle election, which will be held on September 21, 2024, journalists and media practitioners have been encouraged to prioritise ethical practice and professionalism in their activities as mechanisms for guaranteeing a credible and fair election.

This was the highlight of the media dialogue and stakeholders’ interface convened by the International Press Centre in alignment with the goal of Component 4: Support to Media of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EUSDGNII) project funded by the European Union.

The event also served as an avenue to reiterate to the  media practitioners in attendance the importance of their roles in the electioneering process to be devoid of violence, disinformation and misinformation, with the people being able to freely make informed choices.

While setting the tone for the event, Mr Nnimmo Bassey, the Director,of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), maintained that every election is about people and the media is expected to set an agenda for the candidates on how to tailor their policies in favour of the citizens.

He also frowned at the refusal of the politicians to always speak about their manifestos, saying that has become a common phenomenon among them. He however stated that it is the duty of the journalists to mandate political officer aspirants and holders to collectively make demands from them in order to achieve a credible election and a shared dividend of democracy.

“The election is about people, and that’s why who gets the mandate to the state house is really important.

“The governorship candidates are not speaking about their manifestoes and that’s why there’s no difference between them It is the duty of journalists to hold them accountable for what they are doing.  What we do in our units is more critical to the outcome of an election in the state”.

Mr. Bassey, who is also an environmentalist, condemns the negligence of the government to attend to environmental issues, noting that the journalists are expected to put them on their toes in this regard as it plays a crucial role in the sustainability of governance and good leadership.

Engaging the journalists in a session on newsroom scenarios, brainstorming sessions, the stories to tell, how to tell the stories, and digital tools and applications to tell the story, Mr. Taiwo Obe, the Director, Journalism Clinic, encouraged journalists to be knowledgeable about their environments, adding that it will enhance their reporting election.

He also challenged the participants to further hone their questioning skills when interacting with  public office holders on the promises they make to the public, stating that seeking public interest must be embedded in their questions to them.

“It is what journalists know that determines what they report, knowledge is the first thing every journalist must have. Questions are significant to everything. Journalists are  expected to ask pressing questions and know the critical determinants of the election in and the best approach is to be familiar with the available tools for best practice”.

Mr Obe also instructed journalists on how to create engaging news rooms, in which participants were divided into different newsroom settings to generate potential questions journalists could use during the elections.

Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre, stated that journalists should refrain from basing their reporting on biases and sentiments by eschewing favouritism in their reporting.

He further explained that the media must shape its narratives around credible reporting for credible elections by challenging claims made by politicians during their campaigns  when they  persuade people to vote for them. He asked them to ask what they intend to do if they are elected, their previous achievements in government and the shortcomings of their opponents.

He also tasked the media to test the authenticity and value of the politicians’ claims by working together  with other relevant stakeholders which includes the electorates, Non governmental organisations, other media practitioners and others to identify issues that are pertinent  to the electorate.