Elizabeth Vincent, Yenagoa
Ahead of the upcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) are organizing a series of dialogues and stakeholders’ engagement starting from Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
The objective is to ensure fair, ethical, and inclusive coverage of the electoral processes by the media and peaceful conduct by citizens.
These initiatives are part of Component 4: Support to Media under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance (EUSDGNII) project, aimed at strengthening democratic consolidation in Nigeria through professional and responsible media coverage of elections.
The IPC’s Media and Election Stakeholders Dialogue, scheduled for September 10-11, 2024, will focus on ensuring accountability and responsibility among media and election stakeholders.
The dialogue will address early warning signals related to the socio-political context of the Ondo elections and discuss enhancing media practices in reporting electoral campaigns and the elections themselves.
In collaboration with the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State chapter, IPC will engage participants on critical issues affecting the elections, such as inclusive, issue-focused, and gender-sensitive reporting.
CEMESO will conduct media engagements and appearances on TV and radio on September 12-13, 2024, focusing on off-season election issues like voter and civic education, monitoring electoral bodies’ preparations, managing political interferences, and ensuring balanced programming on Election Day.
Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of IPC, emphasized the importance of dynamic dialogues between media and election stakeholders in maintaining transparency, accountability, and public awareness during off-season elections.
Dr. Akin Akingulu, Executive Director of CEMESO, added that effective interaction with media and election stakeholders is crucial for a successful electoral process, ensuring that key issues like electoral reforms, voter rights, and media responsibilities remain central to public discourse.
