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Ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State,the International Press Center (IPC) and Center For Media Society (CEMESO) have urged in the state to be objective in their reportage as well to be professionals
This was made made known during a Two Day Media Roundtable/Engagement on Bayelsa Governorship Elections held on Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 in Yenagoa the Bayelsa State capital.
The forum featured interactive discussions with election stakeholders, lectures and sessions with various resource persons, including representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police.
Speaking at the event, Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director IPC, said information plays a vital role in any electoral process while the electorates need to know about the political parties and preparations of INEC which also inturn need feedback on how the citizens are receiving their messages,it is the media that provide such information.
He noted that for the media to provide information such that the citizens will rely upon,the media need to be professional,abide by the ethics of the profession and be conflict sensitive,hence the need for the two days program.
He added that “The engagement becomes very important because sometimes journalists do not have already access to those we ask our questions particularly at the level of INEC, we’ve also had a number of concern relating to security, preparations of election that we need to ask the security agencies and sometimes we don’t have access to them .
So we felt we can bring in the force PRO Bayelsa State and also bring the INEC representative to have a conversation with us, listen to them,then we can now ask them a whole number of questions that’s one reason about the round table “
In his ,Dr Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director CEMESO,said the workshop is being organized to improve and strengthen the capacity of journalists in the coverage of the fourth coming election and to also deepen the delivery of voter education by the various media platforms.
According to him the task of strengthening the nations democracy is an unending one and a work in progress,hence citizens and institutions have the responsibilities to continuously to lay building blocks towards consolidation.
He noted that quality election will happen when critical stakeholders have played their roles in a proper manner and also contribute their appropriate inputs, adding that it is impossible to conduct a credible election without the media through providing informations, conducting analysis, providing platforms of discuss with the wide range of electoral actors.
He added that there was also an interactive session with the police and INEC where journalists were able to ask questions on the conduct of the elections both previous and fourth coming election.
Mr Samuel Numonengi, Chairman, Bayelsa Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), commended the organisers for the training.
He said that journalists in the state braved all odds and risks to their lives in the discharge of their duties.
“The safety tips given by the Police, which also includes how journalists should dress while going out to cover election are apt and some of the things they have to do.
“We expect more trainings like this for journalists before the Bayelsa Governorship election,” he said.
