- Identified fake news as one major area the commission requires assistance
By Theresa Moses
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held an interactive meeting with Online Publishers to further strengthening the media relationship in other to conduct a free, fair and credible election.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in his address at the meeting with the theme Strengthening INEC/Media partnership for the consolidation of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections said INEC and the media play a vital roles in sustaining democracy and democratic governance. “While the sanctity of the vote and the credibility of electoral outcomes as expressed through the will it the electorate is supreme, tye ethics of journalism I’d tailored towards upholding the truth and ensuring the integrity and fairness of the profession and it’s practitioners”.
On Direct primaries that was included in the electoral bill, Yakubu said the bill has been passed into law by the National Assembly waiting for the presidential assent. He said once the bill is concluded the bill becomes law and every person and authority in Nigeria, including the commission must obey.
The INEC boss also identified fake news as one major area the commission requires assistance. “One major area where we need your help is in containing fake news. The emergence of the internet brought with it tremendous opportunities for all sectors, including the media and it has broadened the scope of human abilities to share information and knowledge within seconds.
The dynamism of social media, enabled by the power of the internet, has made it possible for media organizations to upload narratives which in turn are transmitted to digital platforms such as cell phones, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and so on.
This can take various forms. They can, for instance, cook up wild allegations against the Commission and or its officials to frustrate a good policy which they perceive as inimical to their selfish interest” he said.
The National Commissioner and chairman information and voter education, Barrister Festus Okoye in his opening address said the media must understand clearly the constitution and legal mission and mandate of the commission both as an umpire and a regulator. “The media must have a working knowledge of the constitutive constitutional,legal and regulatory instruments that guide and underpin the work of the commission” he added.
In his welcome address, the Lagos State Residents Electoral Commissioner Sam Olumekun commended the INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and other members of the commission for constantly seeking to improve the electoral processes. “I want to appreciated the media for their tremendous support over the years, and also appealing to Lagosians for the need to register or transfer their PVC at all sundry to units closer to them as it’s very important” he said.
In his goodwill message, the Executive Director, Institute for Media and Society (IMS), Dr. Akin Akingbulu emphasize that the media is one of the crucial institutions with important roles to play in the electoral process. “The roles of the media are so important that they are indispensable in the proper conduct of an electoral process and in the broader functioning of a democracy” he said.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Collaboration with the institute for Media and Society and the International Press Centre held Strategic Interactive Meeting with Online Publishers on Wednesday, 24th November, 2021 at Raddison Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos which had in attendance INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye, Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Sam Olumekun, Executive Director, Institute for Media and Society (IMS), Dr. Akin Akingbulu, National Commissioners, Prof. Abdullahi A. Zuru, Mal. Mohammed K. Haruna, Chief Press Secretary to Hon. Chairman, INEC, Rotimi L. Oyekanmi, Chinwe Ogbuka, Assistant Director, New Media, INEC, Director, ICT, INEC, Engr. Chidi Nwafor, Online Publishers amongst others.
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