The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has enjoined the media to concern itself with effective and accurate reporting ahead of the 2023 elections.
Mr. Chukwuemeka Ugboaja, INEC’s Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, at a one-day roundtable on “The Role of Mass Media in ensuring a free and fair election for sustainable democracy”, held in Abuja, advised the media to keep away the breaking news syndrome that may not help Nigerians towards achieving the needed result as the elections draw closer.
The JICA Alumni Association of Nigeria (JAAN) in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), organized the event.
The INEC’s Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, lamented that some of the mainstream media were gradually gravitating towards online journalism with the intention of breaking news.
He further lamented that most of the breaking news are sometimes not properly verified and processed.
Mr Ahmed Agbrankhe, the JAAN President, enjoined journalists to be fair, accurate, ethical, and inclusive in their coverage and reporting of electoral processes in order to be true change agents for the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
