2015: Coalition wants journalists to uphold ethics in election coverage

This position was among a number of issues raised in the communiqué issued at a civil society/media parley in Lagos.While speaking on the coalition’s position, former Editor of the defunct The Week magazine, who also doubles as the Media officer of OneVoice, Pastor Deji Adeleye said it has become imperative for media organisations to uphold […]

This position was among a number of issues raised in the communiqué issued at a civil society/media parley in Lagos.
While speaking on the coalition’s position, former Editor of the defunct The Week magazine, who also doubles as the Media officer of OneVoice, Pastor Deji Adeleye said it has become imperative for media organisations to uphold ethics of the profession in the discharge of their duties.
“We know this is a season where political gladiators dole out money to buy conscience of the people. It is a season when people do all sorts of things because of financial inducement. But as media practitioners, we must refrain from being used. Either in the coverage of political developments or in publishing them.
“The media must avoid casting sensational headlines. The media must also ensure that stories about different parties are balanced. It is only when ethics of the profession are upheld that we can say the media have discharged its responsibility without fear or favour,” Adeleye said.
Similarly, a rights activist, Okechukwu Nwanguma said the success of the 2015 elections will largely depend on the media who must eschew bias and partisanship.
“The media as the fourth estate of the realm must be alive to its responsibility before, during and after electoral contests especially at this time. The media needs to join us in our advocacy to ensure INEC places no deadline on voters registration. That the use of money politics should attract strictest sanction. And that any electoral offender is made to face the law,” Nwanguma said.
Other issues which the coalitions charged the media on include: mass sensitisation of the populace to participate in voters’ registration, non-usage of coercive apparatus of the state before, during and after election, the need for true internal democracy in the selection of candidates as well as purposeful use of the online and new media tools.