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The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo has urged journalists in Nigeria to consider the issues of peace and the deepening of democracy as cardinal goals in the coverage of the 2023 elections.
He gave the charge on Monday in Port Harcourt at the opening of a Two-Day Capacity Building for Journalists and Civil Society Organisations on the 2023 general elections in South-South geopolitical zone.
Giving the keynote address on the theme: “Conflict-Sensitive Reporting, 2023 General Election & Countering Fake News”, the NUJ President noted that it was necessary for journalists to take the issue of peace as a cardinal point and take into consideration the need to be careful so that areas that are already fragile do not explode or implode.
“Peace is a basic requirement in a democracy. No democracy can flourish in the absence of peace. While we concede that it is inevitable to eliminate crises and conflicts from our society, however, it is important if deliberate efforts are made toward conflict resolution and peacebuilding,” he stated.
He demanded to know how journalists while examining the ethical issues involved in reporting elections and conflicts, can still play constructive roles in conflict and post-conflict scenarios.
Isiguzo said; “As Journalists, we are expected to develop a thorough understanding of the elections and the electoral process, an understanding of conflicts and convey these to citizens in a way that reflects the truth in all their complexities”.
He stressed that a proper foundation established by journalists would provide citizens with the opportunities they require to make informed judgments about issues involved and perhaps help the government in taking meaningful decisions.
“It is our hope that participants will avail themselves of this training opportunity to ensure that a level playing field is provided for all political actors and ensure that peoples’ votes will count through highly professional management of news by journalists who are equipped with international best practices.
“This is the only way we as professionals can advance the course of peace and ensure a credible and peaceful transition.”
In his goodwill message the new Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, Jonson Alalibo charged the media to continuously give Nigerians credible voter education devoid of fake news.
Alalibo who resumed officially a few hours before the event said; “We need the entire INEC processes and procedures for elections to be disseminated to the people in a manner that is beneficial to all so that we can have credible elections.
“People should not be given the opportunity to feed on fake news, that’s going to be dangerous for the electoral process.”
He added that journalists should be able to equip themselves with the electoral processes in Nigeria, the new electoral act, how it is going to deepen the use of technology in our elections.
“So journalists should be able to report the processes of election for the 2023 general elections.”
He gave assurances that the remaining permanent voters cards PVCs would be made available to their owners before the end of November.
“By November ending we are going to have all the PVCs,” Alalibo assured.
Part of the capacity-building programme was the demonstration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System(BVAS) and assurances by INEC officials that the use of the BVAS and other forms of technology introduced by the 2022 electoral act would to a large extent improve the electoral system in 2023.
The training was organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the Centre for Democracy & Development (CDD).
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