Politics
2019: INEC Tasks Media On Professionalism
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised the media to be mindful of its reportage of electoral events during the 2019 general elections.
The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the plea at an event “Agenda for the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ Retreat’’ organised by the U.S. Mission Nigeria-Public Affairs Section in Lagos.
Yakubu, represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC in Lagos, Mr Sam Olumekun said that this would have “a great effect on facilitating credible elections and corresponding social order’’.
According to him, it is important to observe that in the previous elections, the report of the media on electoral process has high degree of superficiality.
“Some reports on the process were not properly investigated, and some basic facts were glossed over,’’ INEC chief said.
He said that as stakeholders in the electoral system, the media was expected to maintain a high level of sustainability in the coverage of all electoral activities to ensure that records and facts were not distorted.
“We expect the media, being a veritable tool for information disseminating, to ensure that they apply a professional acumen to their reports so as not to leave prospective voters helpless and confused due to distorted information.
“The 2019 general elections demandd that reportage of the process meets the prime concern of media coverage of elections which entails the right of voters to full and accurate information and also their rights to participate in debates and dialogue on political matters.
“Inherent to this task is the entitlement of parties to use the media as platform for interaction with the public,’’ Yakubu said.
The INEC chief, however, advised the media to resist the temptation of being used to fan the embers of ethno-religious crisis prevalent in nascent democracy.
He also urged the media to give prominence to bringing out voters through adequate sensitisation of the citizens.
The Chairman of Channels Media Group, Mr John Momoh, expressed concerns over the role of social media and the phenomenon of fake news in the nation’s media landscape.
Momoh, who spoke on “What the Future Hold for The Media’’, said that creative ideas could be transformed into innovative media products.
“The subject matter at this retreat is so appropriate. What does the future hold for the Nigerian Media?
“How do we transform creative ideas into innovative media products? How do we leverage international partnerships for profitability?
“For those of us who have been in the broadcast industry for a decade or more, we know what we mean when we say the industry has digitally disrupted.
“Today, new markets are being created, with a new set of values that now threatened the existing markets,” Momoh, who is also the Chairman, Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), said.
He said that the use of social media gives a lot of concern as the 2019 Elections was approaching, because of “ease way of spreading fake news online.
“Social media, blogs and the ‘fake news’ phenomenon have all thrown the media into a precarious position.
“Those of us who still believe in the civic value of good journalism has been left in a quandary, as politicians are having a field day; taking a cue from the U.S. President Donald Trump, lambasting journalists for false reportage and balance.
“These aren’t the best times for journalists; social media, which many hoped will be a saviour with its open access and extensive reach, has actually compounded the problem by rewarding speed and sensation over accuracy,” he said.
Momoh said that broadcast and print media were faced with the challenge of unprofessionally reducing the quality of information disseminated.
“The broadcaster now faces the endemic challenge of unprofessional activities of some content producers, who create content that does not meet the minimum requirement of the objectives of the mass media.
“The unprofessional activities were all in the drive to wrongly influence the society.
“Newspapers are trying to adjust to the times by creating websites of their own, but that also leads to the decline in their print readership since they now put all their content online for free.
“A pointer to the fact that newspapers of the future will mainly take digital form,” Momoh added.
In his comments, Prof. Lai Osho, a former Dean, School of Communications, Lagos State University, Ojo, called for the strengthening of the gate-keeping in chain of news processes.
Osho noted that the media were going through tough time, ranging from economy pressure to technology arising from the activities of online/social media, among others.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
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