It was said by the Nigerian Guild of Editors that the media has a greater stake when it comes to the promotion of democracy since the day of its survival, growth and development that are essentially linked to its maintenance, and therefore has a huge duty to influence its strong glove in order to put political actors on their toes.
In the face of growing divisive tendencies by state and non-state actors, the umbrella of all the editors in Nigeria also advised the media to rise to arrest the slow movement in order to prevent the nation from being pull apart to scrap.
According to Vanguard, all these were held in a statement of the 18th All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC), themed: “Political Landscape, Credible Elections And The Role of Editors” organised by the editors and was done in Owerri, Imo State, between November 9 and 13, 2022 and was signed by Nigerian Guild of Editors President, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren.
The total number of 320 Editors representing print, broadcast and online across the country attended the conference.
The media has a responsibility to to always ensure that political actors abide by issue based campaigns, there is urgent need by the media to play down on reports that frequently behave to make a problem tending to cause disagreement towards a particular characteristic or type of behaviour as part of the process of promoting the action of the different peoples of Nigeria.
The media should in a way set the agenda of discourse to prevent mischief makers from holding movement slowly from side to side.
The media is more than any institution in the country, they are equipped to check the movement towards insanity.
Media has a responsibility to hold its power in order to put political actors on their toes and ensure that political actors to follow based campaigns’’, the announcer stated.
The editors added that because the media has always been at the state of the struggle for sustainable democracy, it must ensure it raises the level of political discourse, and guide the people to make informed choices as the 2023 General Election comes closer.
Concerning the security issues in the country, in the conference, it was said that security agencies need to see the media as partners and not a difficult people in the anti-terror war. Always appreciate the work of journalists
On the security situation in the country, the conference said that security agencies need to see the media as partners and not adversities in the anti-terror war; appreciate the work of journalists; and avoid terrifying, harassment and other acts that obstruct the work of the media.
It was stated further that “The media needs to hit a partnership with the security agencies on the anti-terror war.”
The media need to exercise its immense influential power and agenda setting role with a large amount of responsibility and readiness to the national interest.’’
The conference also urges the media to check the increasing resort to fake news, which has the tendency to cause panic, desperation and unnecessary strong emotion of anger.
As the 2023 general elections are at the corner, the editors noted the introduction of technology and the accompanying Electoral Act 2022, which have armed the Independent National Electoral Commission to deliver better election outcomes, advising the electoral body to resist inappropriate behaviour and frightening from the political class.
The conference commended the Office of the National Security Adviser for promoting a more compatible atmosphere for media engagement and expressed profound and deep gratitude to the Imo State Government and the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma for hosting the conference.
Chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Paul University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof Stella Okunna, Governor Uzodinma of Imo State served as the Special Guest and declared the conference open.
Other guests include, the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emeka Nduka; former Information Minister and immediate Past President, Ohanaeze Ndi’Igbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo; Senator Osita Izunaso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Declan Emelumba, representative of the NSA, Mr Zakari Usman and two former President, NGE, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, also Provost, Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) and Malam Baba Dantiye, a recently retired Permanent Secretary in Kano State.
Fifteen senior editors were given title with the Fellow of Nigerian Guild Editor and thirty five editors were admitted as new members.
