The forthcoming November 11 governorship election in Imo State has ignited political fervor, captivating the attention of the public. Recognizing the significance of this event, the International Press Centre (IPC) conducted a training session for journalists in imo state, emphasizing the importance of professionalism, ethics and impactful reporting of the upcoming polls.
During the training, journalists were urged to adhere to the ethical codes outlined in the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage, the Electoral Act, and relevant handbooks. The IPC, represented by Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director, and Ayp Aluko-Olokun, Editor of Nigerian Democratic Report (NDR), eemphasized the need to avoid sensationalism, fake news, and unverified reportage.
The two-day media training, titled “Media Roundtable/Engagement on Imo Governorship Election,” took place at Rockview Hotels in Owerri. Arogundade expressed regret over the unethical practices of some journalists and stressed the importance of professionalism in the field. He emphasized the need for journalists to be well-informed about the electoral process and exercise caution during their coverage.
Melody Akinjiyan, a Programme Officer of the IPC, outlined the thematic areas to be covered in the training. The goal was to brainstorm and exchange ideas on effectively fulfilling the media’s role in the electoral and democratic process. Akinjiyan highlighted the responsibilities of the media, including relaying information for informed judgments, monitoring government activities, exposing political abuses, reporting on day-to-day politics and election campaigns, providing information about registration and voting, reflecting public opinion, giving voice to diverse interest groups, and facilitating public debates.
The training featured talks by resource persons Taiwo Obe and Angela Agoawike. Obe discussed “Impactful Reporting of the Elections: Focusing on People-Interest Issues and Telling Stories That Matter,” while Agoawike explored “Bringing the Gender Perspective to Bear on the Reportage of Imo Governorship Elections.”
During one of the talks journalist in were told to be safe and not run into trouble stressing that no news is worth dieing for.
Journalists who participated in the workshops expressed satisfaction, describing them as highly impactful and valuable for future election coverage
