Election: IPC To Hold Media Training On Sensitive And Safety Reporting

Ahead of the upcoming elections in Edo and Ondo State of Nigeria. The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos- Nigeria is set to conduct a two days webinar session for journalists.

The webinar session slated for 11th and 13th August is organized by the IPC is in partnership with the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) and aimed at building the capacity of select journalists and media stakeholders in Ondo and Edo State respectively.

According to the Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the media capacity building session is aimed at consolidating efforts by INEC and other electoral stakeholders under the EU-SDGN project to ensure that the media coverage of the Ondo and Edo State elections is professional.

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“As INEC gear up plans to conduct governorship elections on September 19 and October 10 in Ondo and Edo State respectively, it is imperative that media coverage of the process leading to the elections are professionally done in such a way that the germane issues that will promote greater stakeholders and citizens participation in the elections are brought to the fore of media reportage.

Our preliminary observations have revealed rising issues of political conflicts and tension which have produced news headlines and reports of personality clashes and hostilities around certain political actors in the elections.

The media needs to be careful so as not to become entangled in the twist of events so that emerging media reports do not create undue tension which may dissuade the electorates from fully participating in the elections”, Arogundade said.

The webinar session, which shall feature key stakeholders representatives from INEC and other institutional stakeholders shall include special capacity building sessions by media experts who shall facilitate themes for professional and ethical reportage of the elections, including issues of inclusivity, fact-checking, hate speech, and conflict-sensitive reporting (online/offline).

“The webinar, which is held in collaboration with the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) councils in the two States is aimed at deepening the role of the media (conventional and new/social) in promoting professional and ethical reportage of electoral processes, including issues of inclusivity, accountable democratic practices, factual and conflict-sensitive reporting of the process leading to the governorship elections, the elections proper and emerging post-election issues, among others”, Arogundade further added.

Key remarks shall be received from Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, while representatives of disability and gender groups such as Mr David Anyaele of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and Mrs Mufuliat Fijabi of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, among other stakeholders, shall offer perspectives on expected media roles.