2007: Editors urge media to be fair to contestants

The Punch, Monday, September 11, 2006

The Nigerian Guild of Editors has urged the media to provide a platform for public discourse by ensuring that all contestants in the 2007 elections are provided equal opportunities to reach the electorate.

The editors also agreed to promote dialogue with the stakeholders to ensure increased scrutiny of the preparations of the Independent National Electoral Commission for the elections and expose potential areas that might discredit the polls.

In a 12-point communiqué on Sunday in Yenagoa at the end of the third All Nigerian Editors’ Conference, signed by NGE President, Malam Baba Dantiye, and Acting Secretary, Mr. John Ndukauba, the NGE said political parties should pursue issue-based campaigns.

The communiqué read in part, “The conference condemns the use of political violence, thuggery, character assassination and unwholesome practices by politicians and appeals to all aspirants to eschew these evils and address issues, rather than personalities in their campaigns.

“Resolves to protect the gains realized by our democracy, by constantly monitoring police investigations into reported cases of political violence and assassinations.

“Calls on the National Assembly to pass the Freedom of Information Bill without further delay, so as to facilitate the media’s role in enhancing accountability, good governance and preserving the fundamental rights of all Nigerians at all times.”

The editors recognized the different orientations of the registered political parties and urged them to avail themselves of the equal opportunities given by the media to reach out to the electorate.

The conference endorsed the civic education and agenda setting responsibility of the media and advised media organisations to ensure that all political parties pursued issue-based campaigns.

Delegates also considered the realistic impossibility of absolute objectivity, but resolved to continue to maintain a stabilizing influence on the practice of journalism by regulating the behaviour of subordinates with a view to enforcing standards and the ethics of the profession.

NGE equally noted the dangers inherent in appointing non-professionals as editors-in-chief, editors in media organizations and accordingly urged proprietors, especially public-owned media, to ensure that only professionals were appointed into the positions.

The editors were worried over the negative implications of media owners’ failure to fulfill their obligations to their staff and advised the proprietors to ensure that salaries and other staff entitlements were paid as and when due.