Odinkalu, Mimiko charge media on protection of nation’s democracy

As Nigeria prepares for the 2019 elections, the media has been challenged to abide by the tenets of the profession and ensure neutrality and impartiality, while covering political activities and election and also refrain from broadcasting and publishing abusive language, incitement to hate, and other forms of provocative languages that may lead to violence.

A former chairman, National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, gave the advice while speaking as a guest speaker at the U.S. Mission Nigeria Public Affairs Section, organised interaction to mark the 2018 World Press Freedom Day, held in Lagos Thursday.

Odinkalu said that because the 2019 elections have a huge significance for Nigeria’s future, it would be important for the media to consider measures to improve its performance, enhance productivity and give better service to the people by updating its operations, adding that the work of the Nigerian media in elections has defaulted to the use of sensory observation and old-style reporting.

He advised that the Nigeria media can pull resources together during the election to achieve optimum productivity, “For the 2019 elections, a few suggestions may be worth considering. One, the media could consider the pooling of resources in a Media Fusion Centre, which will be accessible to all media outlets.

“Nigerian CSOs working on elections already have a shared NGO Situation Room. A Fusion Centre will model a three-dimensional reporting format integrating sensory observation, algorithmic solutions and signals capabilities. This could make for more factual and granular reporting.

“Second, Elections are about numbers and data and Nigeria’s traditional media can improve in this area. Nigeria’s media needs to update its capabilities in data journalism.

Training and skills upgrading would be needed here and in this it can forge partnerships with peers outside the country with the help of international partners,” he said.

Odinkalu also used the opportunity to bemoan the failure of the National Assembly to pass the 2018 budget five months into the year; a development which he said is a deliberate attempt to frustrate efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a credible election in 2019.

He noted that a situation where politicians “build war chests” for themselves and their parties, but fail to “pass the 2018 budget well into Q2 hobbles the INEC in preparing for the ballot,” only spell impending danger for the political future of the country.

Also speaking, Professor Femi Mimiko, Professor of Political Science and Former Vice-Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, challenged the media not to be cowed into doing what will not be to the benefits of the nation, arguing that as at today the government was doing more to divide the people rather than unite it.

He frowned at the way opposition party members were being treated in the country, arguing that the fight against corruption was slanted against the opposition, noting that the development was only making the situation in the country more chaotic.

In her presentation, Chief Superintendent of Police, (CSP) Dolapo Badmus, Zonal Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Police Zone 2 Command, advised media practitioners in the country to be objective and not take sides in their reportage in order not to unnecessarily endanger their lives in the course of their duty.

In his welcome address, the Consul General of the United States Consulate in Nigeria, John Bray noted that Nigeria plays a vital role on the world stage and as the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, its stability is crucial to the security and economic prosperity of the rest of the continent.

He said having been Consul General since 2015, he has visited each of the 17 states in southern Nigeria, almost all of them on multiple occasions and have spoken with “hundreds, perhaps thousands of Nigerians about democracy, elections, and the history of Nigeria,” that the conversations have confirmed his belief that Nigeria has a vibrant democracy.

“Democratic societies are not infallible but they are accountable, and the exchange of ideas is the foundation for accountable governance.

“Peaceful and credible elections are essential to Nigeria’s continued economic, political, and social development, so I am interested in your discussion today on media and the transparence of the 2019 election.”

President, Nigeria Guild of Editors Ms. Funke Egbemode, and Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State Council, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, were part of a panel of discussants.