By Balarabe Oshiafi
Fifty-one days to Edo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked members of the fourth estate of the realm to stick to ethics as those who promote, protect and defend democracy through dispassionate reporting.
The Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu handed down this admonition during an interaction with Journalists in the on-going stakeholders meeting in INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Yesterday’s turn out was generous as virtually all media organizations in Nigeria were represented which earned the commendation of INEC’S helmsman.
The President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Chief Chris Isiguzo was present. He urged Journalists to be sticklers for code of ethics while covering the Guber elections in Edo and Ondo, while the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Ike Neliaku Neliaku through his representative assured the citizenry that the regulatory body would deploy it’s expertise as reputation managers to helping to direct media coverage of elections and generally growing the nation’s democracy.
While welcoming guests, Yakubu said: “It is my pleasure to welcome you all to our third regular quarterly consultative meeting for this year. You may recall that our first meeting for the year was held on Thursday 21st March 2024 while the second took place two months ago on Wednesday 15th May 2024. You may also recall that the last meeting focused mainly on the forthcoming Edo State and Ondo State Governorship elections. Today, we will furthermore update you on the bye-elections that occurred since our last meeting”.
INEC informed the people of it’s readiness to conduct Edo election thus: “It is now 51 days to the Edo State Governorship election coming up on Saturday 21st September 2024. Our preparations are going on in earnest. I am glad to report that we have recovered from the torrential rainfall that resulted in the severe flooding of our State Headquarters in Benin City two months ago.
“The damage to the physical infrastructure as well as movable and immovable facilities are being fixed or replaced. We have delivered additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to Edo State for the training of election duty personnel as well as contingency for Election Day support.
“We have once again published the final list of candidates in compliance with the recent Court Order mandating the Commission to replace the running mate to the candidate of the Labour Party. The amended list is already published on our website”.
In his own remarks, Isiguzo praised INEC for remaining focused and improving on the conduct of off-cycle elections in Nigeria and maintained confidence that both the umpire and media won’t disappoint voters in the coming Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
He said “the importance of engaging with the media, especially in the context of elections, cannot be overemphasized. The media serves as the bridge between the electoral commission and the citizens, ensuring that accurate information is disseminated, electoral processes are transparent, and the voices of the people are heard. This synergy between INEC and the media is crucial as we approach the off-season gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states.
“This meeting today is particularly important because the commission will avail us with further updates on its preparations for these critical elections. We are also excited to receive the news that the commission has recovered from the temporary set back experience in Edo State following the rains.
“I also want to appeal to journalists interested in being part of the election by way of coverage to without further delay upload their details on the portal in order to ensure that accreditation tags are produced in good time for the election.
“The transparency and efficiency with which elections are conducted directly influence the public’s confidence in our democratic processes. I am confident that INEC is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that these elections are free, fair, and credible.
“The role of the media in this process is indispensable. As watchdogs of society, we have the duty to report accurately and objectively, to educate the electorate, and to provide a platform for diverse voices and opinions. Our collaboration with INEC is essential in achieving these goals.
“We also want to appeal to the security agencies to equally extend the necessary support and partnership with the media in order to check incessant harassments and intimidation of journalists on election duties.”
Speaking about the calls for INEC to be conducting local government elections, the NUJ President had this to say: “I would also like to take this opportunity to weigh in on a significant recent development – the Supreme Court judgment which granted full autonomy to local government administrations.
“This landmark ruling is a major stride towards strengthening our democracy at the grassroots level. Local governments are the closest tier of government to the people, and their autonomy is crucial for effective governance and development.
“However, for this autonomy to be truly conclusive and impactful, there is a need for constitutional amendments by the National Assembly. Specifically, the relevant sections of the constitution should be amended to empower INEC to conduct elections for local governments across the country.
“Currently, INEC enjoys constitutional authority to conduct national and sub-national elections. Extending this authority to include the third tier of government will ensure uniformity, credibility, and efficiency in the electoral process.
“In the light of this, the proposal to create an Independent Local Government Electoral Commission is, in my view, unnecessary. Establishing a separate body for local government elections could lead to redundancy, increased bureaucracy, and potential conflicts of interest. Instead, leveraging INEC’s established framework, experience, and resources would be a more efficient and effective approach to managing local government elections.”
