As Nigeria prepares for the forthcoming General Elections in 2019, the United States on Tuesday stressed the need for free, fair and credible polls.
Speaking at a two-day training workshops on Elections Reporting, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, said the whole world is looking up to Nigeria for credible exercise.
The two-event, organised by the US Embassy in Abuja, was put together for select political reporters from multiple media platforms: print, broadcast, online and mobile platforms.
The February 16 and March 2, 2019 General Election will be the sixth quadrennial polls since the end of military rule in 1999.
READ ALSO: Delta promises to conduct credible LG elections
According to Symington: “Nigeria is very important. Nigeria is a beacon of hope not only in West Africa but in Africa and the whole world. What happens to Nigeria will affect West Africa, Africa and the whole world”.
The US diplomat stressed the need for media houses to remain agenda setters rather than allow politicians determine the narrative.
He emphasised that reporters should serve as the ‘sacred conduit connecting’ government and the governed.
In his presentation, award-winning journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, said the media still have huge influence over the people, hence the need for media organisations to be accurate, maintain fairness and balance and be responsible.
The guest speaker stressed the need for political reporters to desist from defamation, derivative reporting, malicious reporting as well as non-conflict sensitive reporting.
He called on political reporters to be abreast with INEC resources like Political Parties Finance Manual/Political Finance Handbook, Political Parties Code of Conduct, Election Timetable and INEC website.
Also, speaking on NBC Guidelines for Elections Coverage, another guest speaker and Director of Broadcasting at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Aduku Idachaba, stressed the need for broadcast stations to adhere strictly to NBC Guidelines by making deliberate efforts to give equal spaces to all parties and candidates.
The event also featured virtual training by Gary Kebbel, Professor of Journalism from the United States, joined by viewing parties of journalists at American Spaces in Kano, Bauchi, Ibadan and Calabar.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
