Election reporting: Journalists urged to give equitable access to candidates
Journalists in Benue State were on Friday reminded to give equitable media access to candidates of all political parties in reporting election as enshrined in the Nigerian media code. Head of Voters Education for INEC in Plateau State, Osaretin Imahiyereobo, handed the reminder on Friday at a one-day workshop for journalists in Benue state on […]
Journalists in Benue State were on Friday reminded to give equitable media access to candidates of all political parties in reporting election as enshrined in the Nigerian media code.
Head of Voters Education for INEC in Plateau State, Osaretin Imahiyereobo, handed the reminder on Friday at a one-day workshop for journalists in Benue state on election coverage organised by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD).
“An election that goes well can strengthen a maturing democracy but an election that goes bad can destroy the democratic gain of many years,” he said.
Imahiyereobo emphasised that journalists apart from giving equitable media access to all candidates in their election reporting, should endeavour to disseminate accurate information by verifying their stories from right sources as well as authorities in order to sustain democratic gains.
He warned journalists to handle election coverage with all the ethical seriousness it deserves because the media could make or mar democracy through the information dish out to the public.
Earlier, the HD’s Dr Ahmed Yassin, noted in an opening remark that the workshop was meant to train journalists in the state on effective ways to cover elections by sharing ideas and experiences from within and outside countries including Kenya where his organisation office is also located.
“We will share our ideas from HD and Kenya. We need to get it right and continue to get it right. We want to link up together and proffer solution for Benue,” Yassin posited.