2023: Stakeholders Task Journalists On Implementation Of New Electoral Act—-Some stakeholders in the South-East have called on journalists to ensure full implementation of the Electoral Law Amended ahead of the 2023 General Elections through their reportage.
They made the call during the Press Week/ Annual Lecture organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council. on Friday in Enugu.
The theme of the event was “2023: The New Electoral Act and the Media”.
The media practitioners were also advised to report positively, fairly and shun being biased in their reportage as the public built their confidence in them.
Speaking on the theme, the Guest Speaker and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Offornze Amucheazi, said journalists had great role to play in actualising implementation of the new Electoral Act.
The senior advocate said that the media should highlight the new provisions in the Act and enlightened Nigerians on their practicability.
Amucheazi, represented by Mr Anthony Onah, a Law Lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, listed some of the sections to include sections 5 which talked about funding of INEC, 9, on electronic transmissions of election results.
He said the media had a duty to inform the public how practicable and effective INEC election results database was.
“They are expected to report the transparency and accountability by the election umpire, be neutral and provide equal platform for all candidates in the elections.
“Journalists should play more of advocacy role by sensitising the citizens and work hard to improve their profession,” he said.
The don also urged them to uphold their professional ethics by reporting truthfully, fairly and balanced stories.
Also speaking, Prof. Peter Umeadi, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Presidential candidate, said journalists should ask questions about certain happening during the election.
Umeadi, former Chief Judge of Anambra State, said, “It is only when you report those happenings that we can have better Nigeria but if we let people go without asking questions, we are not doing the country well.
“The media should not take 2023 elections for granted, they should report all electoral fraud,” he warned.
Tasking them on professionalism, the APGA candidate wondered why some journalists announced election results even when election was ongoing, saying it was too bad for the profession and democracy.
Earlier in her opening remark, the Chairperson of the occasion, Prof. Edith Nwosu, described the theme as apt, stressing that the core mandate of pressmen was to report things as they saw it.
Nwosu, who is the Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, said in spite of this expectation, many journalists still reported negative news.
She said: “Instead of creating hope to citizens through their reports, they now creating fears in them”.
Sharing same view, the National Coordinator, South-East for President 2023 Movement, Rev. Okechukwu Onioha, said the Electoral Act had given power to the people to elect their preferred candidates.
Obioha said media owe the public a lot by educating and making people know about the new electoral act.
The Police Spokesperson, Enugu Command, Mr Daniel Ndukwe, added that journalists had critical roles to play in making 2023 general elections successful.
He, however, warned that they should desist from that which would mar 2023 elections and wait for confirmation before breaking any news they were not sure of.
The weeklong press week featured environmental Clean up by journalists, presentation of awards to some distinguished Nigerians including Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who was awarded the Best Peaceful Governor in the countryT
