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The election monitoring committee inaugurated by the Bayelsa State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) for the 2023 general elections on Monday commenced consultation visits to security formations, the Independent national electoral Commission (INEC) as well as media organisations in the state.
It would be recalled that in a bid to ensure free, fair, credible and acceptable elections in consonance with its constitutional mandate as fourth estate of the realms, the Bayelsa State Council of the NUJ penultimate week set up the 2023 election monitoring committee.
To this end, the committee headed by the Director of Information, State Ministry of Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs Ruth Gwegwe has said it was recommited to delivering on its mandate.
Speaking through it chairman, Mrs Ruth Gwegwe during its maiden consultation visits to the state office of the Independent national electoral commission(INEC), and the state command of the Nigeria police force in Yenagoa, the state capital, the committee restated its resolve towards ensuring qualitative reportage of the forthcoming elections across the state.
The Director of Information who led other members of her committee during the consultation visits intimated the offices visited the reason behind the setting up of the committee.
She reiterated that the committee was to provide adequate and accurate reportage of the electoral process and also to sensitize the electorates on their civic responsibilities, rights to vote for political leaders of their choice without fear or favour.
The Committee’s Chairman said: “As a committee saddled with the responsibilities of not only making objective and balanced reportage of the forthcoming elections, but also to partner with other stakeholders for the survival of our democracy, we’ll also be setting up a situation room for the forthcoming polls.
“This situation room is to enable Journalists on the field call in to give first hand information on happenings on election day. INEC and indeed other stakeholders in the electoral process stand a great chance of benefitting from such information gathering.”
“We’ld like to commend Police for their efforts towards ensuring peaceful elections, especially in our state, Bayelsa and the nation at large, but we also wish to charge the Police to keep up their good works.
“For INEC, We’ld like to also call on your staff not to act in ways that may tarnish your image. The new electoral law which allows the use of the bimodal voter accreditation system(BVAS) will go a long way to curb electoral fraud.”
National Wire source reports that the 2023 election monitoring committee of the NUJ which is chaired by the Director of Information, Ministry of Information, Mrs Ruth Gwegwe has the state’s council Secretary, Mrs Joy Ifidi Okah of the state own- NDTV as Secretary, while Mr Femi Folaranmi of The Sun Newspapers, Mr Tobin’s Ibebi of the State own New Waves Newspaper, Mrs Ebinimi Zitimiyola of the NTA, Yenagoa, Mr Dauseye Jackson of Radio Bayelsa, Mrs Janet Boubai-Renner of NDTV, Mr Ariwera Ibibo-Howells of THE TIDE Newspapers as well as Mr Dienita Jackson of the Sylva group as members.
In their separate remarks during the visits, State Commissioner of police, CP Nebolisa Ben Okolo represented by the state’s Force public relations officer, SP Asinim Bustwat and the state resident electoral commissioner(REC), who was represented by the head of voter education(VEP), Mr Wilfred Ifogha reiterated their readiness for the elections, this was just as the duo maintained that have before hand put in place measures to ensure the success of the polls.
They pledge the committee of adequate collaboration, particularly in the area of information sharing.
In the same vein, the committee has visited heads of Media organizations in the state to solicite collaboration in the promotion of the committee’s Programmes and activities.
Speaking with the media Chiefs, the committee through its Chairman noted that the role of the media can not be over emphasized in the area of information dissemination.
She stressed that the media is central to the success of the forthcoming election, this was even as the committee tasked its sister professional media organizations on promotion of the committee’s activities in terms of airing the Committee’s jingles, press releases, amongst others which are aimed at enlightening the general public on the importance the 2023 elections and their rights to vote, respectively.
In separate responses, the media executives have pledged to do all within their reach to assist the committee achieve its goals, noting that the promotion of factual information will go a long way in checking fake News, misinformation, as well as disinformation.
National Wire reports that Media outfits visited by the Mrs Gwegwe led committee were, Peoples FM, 93.1, The Silver bird group, Yenagoa, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Yenagoa and the state own radio station, the Gloryland FM, 97.1, Ekeki, Yenagoa.
