The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the media to ensure fair and factual reporting of the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this appeal during the commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja on Wednesday.
With the Edo election scheduled for September 21 and the Ondo election for November 16, Yakubu emphasized that INEC’s preparations are in top gear. He reminded journalists of their obligation to report accurately and factually, in line with the ethics of their profession.
“You should continue to be a bulwark against fake news, misinformation, and disinformation. I urge you to fully comply with the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage. Similarly, you are required to comply with the INEC guidelines for media accreditation available on our website,” Yakubu stated.
Expressing concern about the security situation in Edo and Ondo states, Yakubu assured that INEC would soon meet with security agencies to devise security strategies. “We are as concerned about the safety of your personnel and equipment just as we are about the security of our officials, observers, service providers, and, above all, the voters. We will also work with the security agencies to ensure that accredited journalists are granted unimpeded access to all voting and collation locations,” he added.
Yakubu mentioned that the commission would meet with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, emphasizing that security in Edo and Ondo would be a major topic of discussion.
Regarding INEC’s preparedness, Yakubu noted, “It is now 51 days to the Edo State governorship election, coming up on Saturday, 21st September 2024. Our preparations are going on in earnest. We have recovered from the torrential rainfall that resulted in severe flooding of our state headquarters in Benin City two months ago. The damage to the physical infrastructure and facilities is being fixed or replaced. We have delivered additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines to Edo State for training election duty personnel and contingency for election day support. We have once again published the final list of candidates in compliance with the recent court order mandating the commission to replace the running mate with the candidate of the Labour Party. The amended list is already published on our website.”
