The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has issued a rallying cry to media professionals across the nation, urging them to be a formidable defence against the proliferation of fake news while upholding the unwavering standards of journalism.
During a meeting with media executives leading up to the impending governorship elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States, Prof. Yakubu emphasized the pivotal role media integrity plays in the electoral process.\
He made it clear that while INEC welcomes election reporting, the commission has no intentions of imposing restrictions on media coverage.
“I want to reiterate the significance of unwavering adherence to the principles of your noble profession. We welcome comprehensive reporting on the elections. However, it is your collective responsibility to stand as a bulwark against the incursion of fake news into our democratic processes,” Yakubu said.
“To be crystal clear, INEC does not endorse censorship. We have consistently advocated that the most effective antidote to fake news lies in transparency, coupled with regular and meaningful engagement with all stakeholders. We remain steadfast in this endeavour,” he said.
With regard to media involvement in the forthcoming elections, Prof Yakubu revealed that close to 94 media organizations, employing 1,255 personnel, have received accreditation to cover the off-cycle elections in the three states. He also announced that these organizations will be notified of the schedule for collecting identity cards for their personnel in the coming days.
Providing insight into the election preparations, he stated that INEC about two weeks ago conducted a mock accreditation exercise involving real voters in designated polling units within the three states, which served as a crucial test of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for both biometric authentication of voters and the uploading of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
“The results, as observed by some of you, were accessible on the IReV portal, and we have not received any adverse reports thus far. This successful test bolsters our confidence in the BVAS, ensuring more efficient voter accreditation and result uploading during the upcoming Governorship elections and beyond,” he said.
He highlighted the collaborative nature of the electoral process, emphasizing that elections constitute a multifaceted endeavour involving various stakeholders, including security agencies.
He acknowledged the concerns previously raised by media organizations regarding the safety of journalists, technical staff, and the security of equipment during election activities, assuring that INEC would persist in mediating with security agencies, both nationally and within the three states, to guarantee unobstructed access to polling and collation locations.
The INEC Chairman also underscored the critical importance of the governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi to the commission’s overall mission.
