The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on media organisations, journalists and social media analysts to uphold ethical and professional standards in election reporting ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The commission warned that misinformation, disinformation and inflammatory political narratives could undermine public confidence and threaten peaceful elections.
The Commission made the call at a media engagement forum organised for the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Institute of Social Media Analysts (NISMA), Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and media executives.
The forum theme, “Ethical and Professional Standards in Election Reporting Ahead of the 2027 General Elections,” was held at Hotel Sylvia, Enugu State.
Media as strategic partner
Speaking at the event, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Enugu State, Chukwuemeka Chukwu, who represented the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, emphasised the critical role of the media in strengthening electoral integrity and sustaining public confidence in the democratic process.
He noted that the media remained a strategic partner in the electoral process, serving as a bridge between the commission and the electorate through information dissemination, voter education, public enlightenment and accountability.
He cautioned journalists against publishing unverified reports, particularly those concerning election results, incidents at polling units, electoral materials and technological processes, stressing that speculation should never be presented as fact.
He further urged media practitioners to give adequate attention to voter education, especially on Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, voter accreditation, voting procedures, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation.
Mr Chukwu stressed the importance of inclusive election reporting, urging the media to give adequate representation to women, young people and persons with disabilities in electoral discussions and reportage.
Warning on ‘rig and die’
He highlighted the responsibility of the media in shaping public understanding of the electoral process, noting that public confidence in elections largely depended on the credibility and accuracy of information available to citizens.
He warned against the amplification of inflammatory slogans such as “rig and die”, describing such expressions as dangerous to the safety of electoral officials, voters, party agents and observers.
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He urged journalists to report such developments responsibly and provide the necessary context, while encouraging political stakeholders to embrace lawful channels for addressing electoral grievances.
He said media organisations should support voter education, investigate and expose vote buying, and help combat disinformation, including deepfakes and fake social media accounts.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the NUJ, Enugu State Council, Obinna Ogbuka, welcomed INEC and participants to Enugu State, appreciating the Commission for choosing the state to host the engagement.
He acknowledged the existing mistrust surrounding INEC and called on media practitioners to support the dissemination of accurate information and balanced narratives about the Commission’s activities.
Mr Ogbuka also urged INEC to sustain its training and capacity-building initiatives for journalists, noting the need to adequately equip media practitioners with the knowledge and skills required to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
