As Nigeria celebrates 25 years of uninterrupted Democracy, Media professionals converge to discuss contemporary salient issues in the electoral process. In a two-day conversation organized by the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) funded by the European Union (EU) at Valencia Hotel Abuja, on 26th -27th June 2024, which is component 4 of European Union support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU SDGN) program.

In his opening remarks, Executive Director of CEMESO, Dr Akin Akinbgolu, said the Media plays an important role in educating the citizens and voters to do the needful during elections. He said the professionals were gathered to have important conversations on the salient issues and to develop a shared understanding of these issues to generate ideas on collectively engaging in voter education in inclusion, voter participation, and election security.

Also, one of the facilitators in the program, Professor Samuel Egwu, Resident Electoral Commissioner INEC, Benue State, said conducting and achieving credible elections is a multi-stakeholder task that includes the Media, Civil Society Organisations, and Political parties. He said the media plays an important role in sustaining democracy, creating awareness among citizens on what it takes to have democratic elections, and also holding INEC accountable to the Nigerian public. Professor Egwu said the Media needs to promote an understanding of the progress that has been achieved in the Nigerian Democratic elections and the challenges that need to be addressed.

Other Facilitators in the program are Mr. Nick Dazang former Director of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC Headquarters, Abuja, and Mr Timothy Bamidele, Program Manager CEMESO.

The conversation aims to enhance the professionalism of media practitioners especially women, strengthen media professional capacity to deal with misinformation and disinformation, diversify, enhance, and deepen the coverage of the electoral process, and deliver civic voter education. Other objectives include media engagement in promoting women, youths, and marginalized groups in politics and strengthening the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to perform its mandate.

Participants were drawn from the 6 Geopolitical zones of the Country from Radio and Television Stations which cuts across all tiers of broadcasting from Federal and State levels, Commercial Stations, Community Radio Stations from the Grassroots, and campuses.

Abdulkadir Abubakar Kutigi

28/06/2024