2019 Elections: Stakeholders drum-up media roles in credible elections

Such institutions include the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, political parties, security agencies, Judiciary and others. “A situation where home-based Journalists covering past elections in were sidelined and abandoned to their fate had not made for any inclusive credible elections”.

 Rising from one-day Symposium organised under the platform of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ,  Journalists in Abia regretted the wrong notion and assumptions by accredited electoral bodies and institutions about the role of Journalists during elections; more so, when the 2019 Electoral Law is not in place yet.

 Journalists, therefore, called on the major stakeholders in the 2019 general elections to organise workshops, seminars/ lectures for Journalists to tutor them on their expected roles in the reportage of election matters under the planned credible 2019 elections in Nigeria.

“Journalist ought to know the numbers, names and functions of each of the Forms used for Elections; Sensitive and nonsensitive Materials, etc;  so that they can raise alarms when the Forms are found in wrong places and in wrong hands”, they noted.

The Symposium, with the Topic: “2019: Challenges  before Journalists  in Election coverage and  other functions”,  was organised for Journalists and  stakeholders to brainstorm on their modus operandi and chart the way forward in  this election year, 2019.

Journalists, however, argued that if the 2019 elections is to be credible, as envisaged; and if 2019 elections would be different from the past 2015 elections(alleged to have been riddled with electoral malpractices and legal tussles), then Journalists and media practitioners have to be carried along the new Electoral processes currently being put in-place, in order to achieve desired results.

For instance, we already hear that the INEC has developed a special mobile application that would allow Nigerians to monitor the 2019 general election and reduce electoral malfeasance. An INEC commissioner and Chairman, Board of The Electoral Institute, TEI, Dr. Mustapha Lecky, who made this known in Abuja, while declaring open a three-day workshop on Electoral Security Training of Trainers Workshop for State Training Officers said the application, which can be freely downloaded through the INEC website or Google Playstore, has geo-referencing features.

It can enable officials of the commission identify wherever challenges may arise and alert security agencies to take charge in any part of the country. He said  the app was developed to address the new phenomenon of “vote buying,” a recurring feature in recent elections in the country.

Nigerian Army has also launched its Operation Python Dance (Egwu- Eke) THREE throughout the country and will be in place from now till end of elections. Operation Python dance is adjudged suitable for this election to achieve credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria.

 These and more contradictions, vide introduction of Python Dance during election, new INEC applications and absence of 2019 Election guidelines/Act, pose serious challenges and risks in the coverage of a proposed credible, free and fair election.

In their respective introductory speeches and remarks at the Symposium, both the chairman of the Abia  State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade John Amajor and his Correspondents Chapel counterpart, Comrade Sam Obinna Ibe reeled out the pathetic situations, experiences and humiliations meted to journalists in the discharge of their onerous tasks, including coverage of elections.

They were unanimous in calling for safe-landing base for journalists covering assignments (including elections) amidst the contending factors and issues.

Emejor recalled how journalists are often harassed, brutalised and abandoned to their fate while covering elections. He, however, urged journalists to make objectivity their watch-word in the performance of their duties, while obeying the Rules and Ethics of the profession.

In his own, Obinna Ibe, explained that the Symposium was a moment for sober reflection for Journalists as well as a period for journalists to appraise their performances in 2018 and map-out strategic plans for the election year, 2019.

He described the topic for the Year’s Symposium as apt, considering the fact that Nigeria is already steep in political tension ahead of the 2019 polls with attendant hate speeches and inflammatory remarks by politicians and their supporters.

He said the lecture was designed to refresh the minds of Journalists on their expected roles and challenges in the forthcoming 2019 general elections in the country.

“Given the hazardous and volatile environment the media practitioners operate in Nigeria, it is necessary to task the Federal Government to ensure adequate protections for journalists in the performance of their day- to- day coverage of events, especially, the 2019 elections.

“Journalism is a “thankless profession” and, in most cases, practitioners are hardly paid monthly salaries or emoluments by their employers. As a Thankless job, we live on the goodwill of others. We don’t even have office accommodation to host our meetings and Workshops or  a bus to reach-out to our places of assignment”.

The  Symposium Lecture-proper was delivered by His  Grace Most Rev. Ikechi Nwosu, the Archbishop of Aba Archdiocese  and Bishop of Umuahia Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Nigeria, who was represented by the Chaplain of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umushai, Venerable Alex  Ihemekwala.

 He described the topic of the Symposium as a matter of the moment and the Journalism profession as  a part of pastoral mission.

According to him, Journalists should continue reminding the society, particularly, our leaders, where we are now. He condemned the idea of elected leaders in the country spending time and resources on legal battles to keep their positions, in the first three years after each election; only to beg for a second tenure to work.

”They only call for a second tenure for purposes of making their own money, in the name of serving the society. This is unfortunate. This has become a routine in governance. This is not what the people expect of an elected government”.

”Journalists should be able to mediate between the poor and the rich; the strong and the weak; the public and private in society. Journalism is the most risky type of job anyone can choose; yet practitioners cannot get adequate reward for taking such a risk.

The risk should not, however, make you shy away from the profession.  Confront this profession   with challenges.  God will give you the grace to carry the cross you have chosen for yourself successfully and without regrets”.

 On the 2019 general elections, Bishop Nwosu had this to say:”The task and success of the 2019 general elections have much to do with journalists. For this, journalists have to go back to the Ethics and philosophies of their profession. Make the best personal judgments in every of your write-ups. The best judgment is the one you make yourself.

“Play your roles well. Face the facts and keep the rules, manner, methodology and skills of the game, at all times.  Leaderships and all the institutions involved in the electoral processes, like the INEC, Security operatives, the Judiciary and other relevant arms of Government should, without delay, organise seminars that will explain to Journalists their roles in a credible 2019 general elections in Nigeria.

“A Journalist has a limit to balance.  For the challenges ahead, journalists need to up-date themselves from-time-to-time, more especially, in the new digital and information technology.

“Journalist should strike a world of difference between a professional and a quack, by being objective, reporting with every amount of sincerity and clarity as well as exercising caution in his reportage. All eyes are on journalists anywhere”.

 “On Interpretative Journalism, the Bishop said: “When you interpret, do so with facts. Arm yourselves (the Journalist) with truth and be as neutral as possible when you interpret. Always tell yourself the truth.

“Do not take undue advantage of the role you play to cause crisis, confusion or trouble to your readers, audience or those who watch you. Watch yourself and mood before you write on any matter. A Journalist is a source, a resource person and a researcher.

He should go further from the ordinary to encourage people to sponsor research works and search for a national ideology. This is why people rely on him. This is why he (journalist) has to verify his information very well, to avoid being misunderstood by the public. The value we place on life has a direct reflection on the future.

On the role of youths in the 2019 elections, the clergy challenged Journalists to convince Nigerian youths that they are already part of us(the society). “They should not think that a separate generation for them is yet to come. This is very important if we are to get a credible 2019 elections in Nigeria”, he said.

On the plight of Journalists covering elections, Nwosu declared thus:”We hear of harassments, intimidations, starvations and all sorts of risks and inhuman treatments meted to journalists during elections. These are still challenging this year’s elections. But my prayer is that God, who has called you (journalists) will lead you through and come out victorious in the 2019 general elections”.

 In his goodwill message, the Assistant Inspector-general of Police, AIG in-charge of Zone Nine Alhaji Karma, who was represented by the Zonal  PPRO, SP Egwu Chukwu, stressed the need for adequate protection of journalists as given to others on essential duties during elections.

He implored the INEC, security agencies, judiciary and others to start now to give education to journalists on their expected roles in ensuring credible, free and fair 2019 general elections. He warned that the mistakes of the 2015 general elections should not repeat in 2019.

 Prof. E. Uche Ikonne, VC, ABSU, who was also the chairman for the occasion, pointed out that the job of journalists is very risky, yet not appreciated by people. He suggested that the profession should rid itself of    quacks among them and promised that the University was always prepared to assist the NUJ in the areas of capacity building and facilities.

 In his message, Dr. Cosmos Ndukwe, Deputy Speaker, Abia state House of Assembly, spoke on the dangers of the Social media in society, describing them as dangerous. He stated that the damaging activities of the Social media form the major challenges of the 2019 general elections.

 In his own goodwill message, the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate for Abia state in the 2019 elections, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah regretted that elections are fast coming, yet no institution or organisation has thought it wise to educate journalists on what they should do to ensure a credible 2019 elections.

Ogah, who was represented by his Media director, Comrade Joshua Ogbonna urged Abians to “open their eyes and know where to go this time around.

“Only unity will solve the numerous problems in Abia. Rather than uniting Abians, some influential Abians are busy sowing seeds of division, discord and hatred in Abia. Let us see ourselves as ONE body and seek ways to unite, rather than divide us.”