Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Sam Olumekun on Friday charged the media to uphold truth and integrity in election coverage. Mr. Olumekun, represented by Director Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Mrs Mary Nkem, who made the charge at a pre-election briefing to the INEC Press Corps in Abuja
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Sam Olumekun on Friday charged the media to uphold truth and integrity in election coverage.
Mr. Olumekun, represented by Director Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Mrs Mary Nkem, who made the charge at a pre-election briefing to the INEC Press Corps in Abuja noted that the briefing became necessary knowing the crucial role the media play in shaping democracy.
According to the National Commissioner: “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. 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.” he said
A cross section of INEC Press Corps
Mr. Olumekun said preparations for the polls had reached an advanced and critical stage, stressing that due to the importance placed on the role of the media in elections, INEC held similar engagements with media executives and journalists based in Edo state.
His words: “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 the Chairman of the Commission Prof. Mahmood Yakubu would lead another 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 on Tuesday, 10 September,2024.
“The next day, on Wednesday 11th September 2024 in Benin City, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu will chair the INEC Stakeholders meeting involving the Inspector General of Police and all relevant stakeholders in Edo state, and on Thursday 12th September 2024, the signing of the Peace Accord by candidates will take place under the supervision of the National Peace Committee chaired by General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retired), so it’s a very busy period for the Commission.
“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 start 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’ registers 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.
Mr. Olumekun disclosed that INEC accredited a total of 892 personnel after careful review from 122 organisations who applied adding that printing of the tags has commenced and would conclude the process on Monday 9 September 2024.
He stated that a final report on the accreditation and detailed breakdown will be made public soon for the election, while the same will be shared with security agencies in Edo state.
According to him, measures had also been put in place to minimize circulation of false information stressing: “However, we cannot do this alone. 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, adding, “As we approach this important election, remember that democracy thrives when the electorate is 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 to the Hon. Chairman of INEC, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, emphasised INEC’s dedication to ensuring clear, transparent, and timely communication with the public”.
Mr. Oyekanmi said: “the media’s essential role in supporting democratic elections through transparency & information dissemination and highlighted the essential strategies and examples of effective media engagement”.
Speaking on the Commission’s challenges, Mr Oyekanmi identified fake news, misinformation, disinformation, some platforms restricting contents that can be uploaded, trolling, targeted attacks areas with low Internet connectivity, and high levels of illiteracy are not on social media.
On the Commission’s next step, Mr. Oyekanmi said INEC will continue to take advantage of social media platforms to proactively disseminate information about electoral activities, plans, and policies.
“The Commission will use the platforms to engage more with stakeholders/citizens moving forward. The fight against fake news, misinformation, and disinformation will be intensified. The Commission will continue to take advantage of social media to provide quality service to the citizens”, he stressed.
