Ugo Nosiri, Owerri
Media practitioners in Imo State have been called to bring the required professionalism and inclusivity to bear on the coverage and reportage of the November 11 governorship elections in the state.
The executive director International Press Centre IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, in a media roundtable engagement with Journalists in the state, said this was to enable the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to deliver on free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.
Speaking on behalf of the executive director IPC, the programmes director, Ms Melody Akinjiyan said the event is organided for media practitioners to brainstorm and exchange ideas on how to effectively play the role expected of the media in the electoral and democratic process universally agreed.
Miss Akinjiyan said the programme was also to critically examine the interconnections between the public, the media and elections towards developing an agenda that seeks to strengthen the role of the media in facilitating a credible electoral process.
She noted that the IPC believes that the media have a critical agenda-setting role to support the integrity and credibility of elections, and must take a lead role in ensuring that citizens are adequately mobilised.
The IPC director therefore advised the participants to not only focus on the campaigns of the gubernatorial gladiators, but also provide appropriate education for the voters, enlighten them on campaign issues, the candidates and their programmes and the voting processes.
