BY OLUMIDE ABUDU
THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION, INEC SAYS IT IS COMMITTED TO CONDUCTING CREDIBLE, FREE, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE ELECTIONS IN THE NATION.
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY TO INEC CHAIRMAN, MR ROTIMI OYEKANMI GAVE THE ASSURANCE IN A REMARK AT A WEBINAR TRAINING FOR POLITICAL REPORTERS IN ONDO STATE ORGANISED BY THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTRE, IPC AHEAD OF THE OCTOBER 10, 2020 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION.
MR OYEKANMI DESCRIBED THE MEDIA AS GREAT PARTNER IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS HENCE THE NEED TO CHERISH THE ROBUST RELATIONSHIP.
HE URGED THE MEDIA TO REMAIN UNBIASED AND ENSURE BALANCE REPORTAGE OF PRE ELECTION EVENTS AS THEY UNFOLD.
IN AN OPENING ADDRESS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF IPC, MR LANRE AROGUNDADE CHARGED JOURNALISTS TO BE MORE PROFESSIONAL IN REPORTING POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND FOLLOW THE FIVE SECTIONS CONTAINED IN THE NIGERIAN MEDIA CODE OF ELECTION COVERAGE.
TWO RESOURCE PERSONS, MESSRS MARTIN OLOJA AND DAVID AJIKOBI TOOK TURN TO REMIND JOURNALISTS ON THE NEED TO AVOID SENSATIONALISM AND ALSO ENSURE BALANCED REPORTAGE BY SEPERATING FACTS FROM OPINIONS.
THIRTY FIVE POLITICAL REPORTERS FROM THE STATE PARTICIPATED IN THE WEBINAR TRAINING TITLED “CAPACITY BUILDING SESSION ON PROFESSIONALISM, FACTUAL, CONFLICT SENSITIVE AND SAFETY-CONSCIOUS REPORTING’ OF THE ONDO STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION ”.