Journalists can help ensure peaceful elections – Ex-NIPR scribe

Résumé détaillé

A former NIPR secretary, Ahmed Sa’id, has urged journalists to prioritise responsible reporting and fact-checking to ensure peaceful 2027 general elections Read More:…

A former Secretary of the Kaduna State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Ahmed Sa’id, has urged journalists to prioritise responsible reporting and fact-checking to ensure peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Sa’id said the media had a critical role to play in preventing electoral violence by countering misinformation, promoting national unity and ensuring that truth prevailed over falsehood before, during and after the elections.

He spoke with AREWA PUNCH in Niger State on the sidekine of a public presentation of his book, Aren’t We All PR People? A Frank Guide for Beginners and Practitioners, organised by the Niger State chapter of the NIPR.

He stressed that while credible and transparent elections were important, peaceful conduct of the exercise should also be a major priority for journalists and other stakeholders.

“First of all, I think the media can ensure that the election is peaceful. To me, we want elections to be credible, we want them to be transparent, but more importantly, we want them to be peaceful.

“We understand that there are tensions here and there. There are contemplations of violence, and people are anticipating it. We also understand how wrong information or misinformation can trigger these potential crises,” he said.

The former NIPR official urged journalists to put national interest above partisan considerations, noting that Nigeria’s survival and unity should take precedence over individual politicians and electoral contests.

“Nigeria should outlast any leader and any election, so Nigeria should come first. Our corporate entity, our sovereignty, our nationality and the peaceful conduct of elections before, during and after the exercise should preoccupy the minds of Nigerian journalists,” he added.

Sa’id called for fact-checking and socially responsible journalism, warning against the publication of reports capable of triggering violence.

Début de l'article, extrait de Punch. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.