. Seeks media partnership to safeguard democracy
. Warns against fake results, inflammatory rhetoric
By Steve Oko & Chinedu Adonu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has condemned the “rig and die” slogan being popularised by some political actors ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that it could expose innocent Nigerians to electoral violence.
The Commission also vowed that any electoral official, including ad hoc personnel, found to have compromised the electoral process would face the full weight of the law.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the warnings at a media engagement forum for journalists and media executives from the South-East, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones in Enugu.
Haruna cautioned politicians against inflammatory rhetoric and threats capable of endangering ordinary Nigerians engaged as presiding officers, ad hoc staff, party agents and election observers.
He stressed that disagreements over electoral outcomes should be resolved through lawful channels, including complaints to INEC, security agencies and the courts, rather than violence.
The National Commissioner also sought stronger collaboration with the media to safeguard democracy and ensure credible, peaceful and transparent conduct of the 2027 elections.
Describing the media as critical to electoral credibility, he said public confidence in the electoral process depended largely on the accuracy, fairness and professionalism of election reporting.
He cautioned journalists against spreading misinformation, unverified results, manipulated videos and inflammatory political narratives capable of undermining public confidence and triggering violence.
Haruna particularly warned against premature declaration of results, sensational reporting and presenting projections as official results.
“Results are declared only by the Commission through its duly appointed returning officers. Projections and unofficial figures must be clearly labelled as such,” he said.
He urged journalists to verify allegations against INEC through its official channels before publication and report electoral incidents with sensitivity, distinguishing between events personally witnessed and information obtained from other sources.
The National Commissioner further called for inclusive election reporting that gives adequate attention to women, youths and persons with disabilities, particularly the challenges they face in participating in the electoral process.
He urged media organisations to intensify voter education, especially on Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), accreditation procedures, electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation.
Journalists urged to uphold ethics
In a presentation on Ethical and Professional Standards in Election Reporting, another resource person, Mr Osaretin Imahheyierobo, urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026, INEC’s election coverage guidelines and the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
He regretted that many journalists covering elections were unfamiliar with the legislative and regulatory frameworks governing electoral reporting.
Imahheyierobo challenged media organisations to establish dedicated election desks, editorial guidelines and fact-checking mechanisms ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also urged journalists to understand INEC’s technological innovations, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), to avoid inaccurate reporting of the voting and result-management processes.
The resource person said journalists must resist the temptation to compromise professional standards for brown envelopes, insisting that political candidates should be subjected to proper scrutiny rather than having their claims and manifestoes uncritically amplified.
He called for equitable media access for all political parties and candidates, saying voters depended on the media for information necessary to make informed electoral choices.
He further urged journalists to avoid amplifying violent slogans and inflammatory messages capable of endangering voters, electoral officials and observers.
INEC distributes 35,000 PVCs in Enugu
Earlier, the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, said the engagement underscored the Commission’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with the media ahead of the 2027 elections.
Chukwu described the media as a strategic partner in voter education, shaping public opinion and holding institutions accountable, but warned that misinformation could undermine electoral credibility.
He disclosed that INEC had received about 35,000 PVCs for distribution across 260 wards in Enugu State and urged journalists to support public enlightenment on their collection.
While acknowledging the independence and watchdog responsibilities of the media, the REC urged practitioners to uphold accuracy, objectivity, fairness and professionalism in reporting electoral activities.
He assured that the Commission remained committed to conducting an acceptable, transparent, inclusive and peaceful 2027 general election, adding that it was open to constructive criticism and recommendations from media stakeholders.
Chukwu also urged journalists to educate voters on what to do before, during and after elections to enable them to exercise their franchise peacefully and make informed choices.
NUJ raises concerns over logistics
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, commended INEC for organising the engagement but regretted that the initiative had not started early enough to allow more journalists to benefit from the training before the commencement of the election cycle.
Ogbuka also expressed concern over the apparent lack of budgetary provision for journalists’ logistics during election assignments, saying media practitioners needed adequate support to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
He further expressed concern over declining public confidence in INEC and urged the Commission to take deliberate steps to rebuild trust before the 2027 elections.
Other presentations at the one-day engagement addressed the legal and regulatory frameworks governing elections, provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and rules guiding the publication and announcement of election results.
Participants commended INEC for its preparations for the 2027 elections but urged the Commission to address shortcomings that marred previous polls, particularly the technical glitches that affected electronic transmission of results during the 2023 presidential election.
Media practitioners at the event urged INEC to start treating journalists as critical stakeholders in the electoral process.
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