Experts challenge media as Anambra prepares for Nov. 6 governorship election

Media stakeholders on Friday in Awka appealed to journalists to be equitable and fair in their reportage of the governorship election process in Anambra.

Anambra goes to the poll on Nov. 6 to elect a new governor.

The experts made the appeal at a workshop jointly organised by the EU Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria, the Institute for Media and Society and the International Press Centre.

The experts, drawn from the print and broadcast media, academia and research institutes noted that the media is critical in every democratic dispensation.

They opined that fair and equitable reportage, free of bias, would engender mass participation in the electoral process.

Dr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Centre, Lagos, charged the media to give equitable coverage to all political parties and candidates.

He also charged that the media should give particular attention to people with disabilities, women and youths to enable them to participate actively.

Arogundade said the media should also give equitable allocation of time to all parties and persons at the election

In his remarks, Mr Akin Akingbulu of the Institute for Media and Society said the media should not neglect any party or person because on the ground of his or her status.

He called on the media to be serious in the application of self-censorship in the election coverage by giving every person fair opportunity of presenting his or her programmes to the public.

He also charged the media to avoid the use of language capable of creating crises in the election.

He said that even if a politician made a hate statement capable of creating tension, the media should ignore such statements.

On her part, Prof. Stella Okunna of the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, called on the media to give more attention to women and youths.

According to her, there is need for more voter education in the state to enable women in rural areas to participate in the electioneering process.

Reviewing the impact of the media at previous elections, Okunna called for a higher level of proactive reportage to enable more people to participate in the electioneering process leading to the Nov. 6 governorship election. (NAN)