National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By Immanuel O. Adeyomoye
The International Press Center (IPC), a media NGO, recently organized a day-long media/Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) roundtable in Abuja.
The event, held at the Hawthorn Suites, Abuja, on Tuesday, January 23rd, aimed to reassess the role of critical stakeholders in rebuilding trust in electoral processes and institutions.
Welcoming participants from the media and civil society, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the IPC, emphasized the overarching goal of the project initiated in 2022: to strengthen the media’s role in promoting democratic governance through fair, accurate, ethical, and inclusive coverage of electoral processes and elections in Nigeria.
Arogundade, a former Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, outlined the purpose of the roundtable, highlighting the challenges encountered during the 2023 general elections and the need to address waning public confidence and trust in the electoral process.
The roundtable discussions focused on strategic interventions to regain public trust and ensure the delivery of free, fair, peaceful, and credible elections in Nigeria, particularly in light of the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States in 2024 and the next general elections in 2027.
Key expectations included holding critical stakeholders accountable and ensuring the media’s accountability during electoral processes.
Mr. Jide Ojo, a development consultant, delivered a presentation citing the YIAGA Africa final report on Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections.
Ojo highlighted the shortcomings of the elections, emphasizing the need for reforms to enhance electoral integrity and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
Participants shared their experiences at the event, expressing satisfaction with the discussions and insights gained.
The roundtable was sponsored by the European Union, an organization committed to promoting democracy and its principles in the developing world.
