The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has reiterated the important role of journalists in ensuring accurate and factual reporting for the forthcoming Edo and Ondo State Governorship Elections scheduled for 21st September and 16th November 2024.
Prof. Yakubu made these remarks during the Commission’s quarterly meeting with the media in Abuja on Wednesday. He reminded journalists of their essential duty to combat fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, reinforcing the ethics that underpin their profession. He described journalists as a “bulwark” against these challenges, stressing the importance of maintaining integrity and accuracy in reporting.
He also highlighted the need for journalists to adhere to the Nigerian Code of Election Coverage and INEC’s Guidelines for Media Accreditation. These guidelines are readily accessible on the INEC website, and compliance is crucial for ensuring that media coverage remains fair and balanced.
A key point of his address was the media accreditation process for the Edo State Governorship election. The portal for media accreditation, which opened on 8th July 2024, is set to close on 5th September 2024. Prof. Yakubu urged media organisations to complete their applications before the deadline to ensure timely issuance of accreditation tags. “As the Edo State Governorship election approaches, I wish to remind media organisations that the portal for media accreditation – http://imap.inecnigeria.org – is still open. As at 8.02am today, Wednesday 31st July 2024, 24 media organisations representing print, radio, television and online have uploaded the details of 227 personnel for the election. I urge you to expedite action by ensuring that all interested media organisations submit their applications before the deadline of Thursday 5th September 2024. This will enable the Commission to produce and deliver the accreditation tags for your reporters, camera operators, technical and other support staff in good time for the election.”
Turning to the state of preparations, Prof. Yakubu provided an update on the recovery efforts following severe flooding at the State headquarters in Benin City two months prior. He assured that the damage to infrastructure and facilities is being addressed, with repairs and replacements underway. Additionally, the Commission has received additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, which will be used for training election duty staff and as a contingency measure for Election Day.
“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 to the candidate of the Labour Party. The amended list is already published on our website,” he continued. “Following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), the display of the register for claims and objections by citizens, and further data clean-up using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), the final registers for the forthcoming Governorship elections are being finalised.”
Prof. Yakubu also announced that the final figures for new voters in Edo and Ondo States, along with their distribution by gender, age, occupation, and disability, will be published before the end of the week. This will be followed by the timetable for collecting uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) from previous registrations and new registrants from the latest CVR. He called on the media to help encourage citizens to collect their PVCs.
Addressing the ongoing election campaigns in Edo and Ondo States, Prof. Yakubu expressed concern over a recent tragic incident in Benin City that resulted in the death of security personnel. He reassured media executives that security will be a major topic at the upcoming Inter Agency Consultative on Election Security (ICCES) meeting scheduled for Friday, 2nd August 2024.
“We are as concerned about the safety of your personnel and equipment just as we are about the security of our own officials, observers, service providers and, above all, the voters,” he said. “We will also work with the security agencies to ensure that accredited journalists are granted unimpeded access to all voting and collation locations.”
In response, Comrade Chris Isiguzo, President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), praised INEC for its commitment to transparency and accountability. He highlighted the importance of the ongoing collaboration between INEC and the media as the elections draw near. Comrade Isiguzo also voiced support for amending the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 to enable INEC to conduct Local Government elections across Nigeria.
“The proposal to create an Independent Local Government Electoral Commission is, in my view, unnecessary. Establishing a separate body for local government elections could lead to redundancy, increased bureaucracy, and potential conflicts of interest. Instead, leveraging INEC’s established framework, experience, and resources would be a more efficient and effective approach to managing local government elections,” he declared.
