2019 elections: Yakubu commends media performance, calls for implementable recommendations

By Patrick Okohue

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Monday commended the media for its performance during the 2019 elections and called for implementable recommendations ahead of 2023 general elections.

Yakubu, who said this during the Post 2019 General Elections Review Meeting with the Media in Lagos, lauded the media for the coverage of the Continuous Voter’s Registration (CVR) exercise, parties primaries, elections and others.

The INEC boss said: “Through the good will we enjoy from the media, the 2019 general elections was the most extensively covered story this year even though we are just in the middle of the year.

“There is no story that was extensively covered in 2019 as the 2019 elections. You are generous in your coverage.

“I can’t remember any activities in Nigeria covered for four weeks online, TV, radio, newspapers, social media and the commission didn’t pay for it.

“In particular the 3:00pm daily media briefing that was covered by all the major networks live.

“I can’t remember any organisation conducting live press conferences for a whole week, covered by all the major networks, and you covered these activities free of charge for the commission. I want to appreciate the media for that.”

Yakubu said that the meeting was to provide avenue for the media practitioners to raise issues that would improve electoral process in the country.

He said that the commission would work with other institutions and stakeholders to improve the electoral process.

“The entire commission is here to listen to you as you share your experiences on how we can make our electoral processes better. The conduct of elections involves stakeholders far beyond INEC.

“We are right now reviewing some of the reports from the accredited observers, the national and international accredited observers. Many of the recommendations cannot be implemented by INEC alone by administrative actions.

“They require the collaboration of others and in most cases amendment to the electoral framework which is actually beyond INEC itself, but has to do with the National Assembly,” he added.

According to him, out of the 30 recommendations of the European Union to INEC, only nine can be implemented by the commission through administrative actions while only eight can be implemented from the 24 recommendations by the Commonwealth.

Yabuku said that the commission looked forward to the observations, suggestions and recommendations by the media which he said would form part of the electoral process.

He said that some of the recommendations that could be implemented by administrative actions would be implemented in the forthcoming Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections on Nov. 16.

The INEC boss noted that he and all his national commissioners and secretaries would interface with various stakeholders in a week long events including all returning officers as part of the review of the 2019 general elections.

In his welcome address, Mr Sam Olumekun, the INEC Residential Electoral Commissioner, Lagos State, also commended the media professionals for their support and synergy before, during and after the elections.

Olumekun said: “We want to hear from you what we have done right and how to improve on them; what we have done wrong and how to improve on them. This interaction will help shape the future.

“INEC is being treated as a “solve all” organisation. It is therefore not uncommon to blame the commission for every inconceivable fault during elections.”

In her goodwill message, Mrs Funke Egbemode, the President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, who urged the participants to tell INEC what it did wrong, said that the media had no choice but to support INEC because the profession only thrives in a democracy.

Egbemode, who was represented by Mr Mustapha Isah, the Vice Chairman (West) NGE frowned at the do-or-die attitude and act of desperation of politicians, describing it as a disease that could not be tamed by law but attitudinal change.

Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Lagos State Council, Dr Qasim Akinreti, said that the meeting was not a press briefing but to hit INEC critically in order to make the nation’s electoral process and democracy better.

Akinreti set the tone by challenging the commission to look into the processes of candidates’ nomination for elections, logistics, media accreditations and punishment for electoral offenders.