European Union

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Press Release

Advancing Media Professionalism: IPC, CEMESO Convenes Meeting with Key Media Operational Leaders For Immediate Release: Monday, June 2, 2025 Lagos, Nigeria – The International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), with support from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II), will host a strategic engagement with key media operational leaders on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025, as part of initiatives to explore how to strengthen ethical and professional standards in reporting Nigeria’s electoral and democratic environment. The high-level event is also designed to foster collaboration among media executives and secure commitments towards inclusive, fair, and accountable electoral reporting. Participants will include media executives and media managers from the broadcast, print, and online media who will exchange ideas and reach common understanding around media’s democratic responsibilities and the need for editorial policies that reflect professionalism and compliance with regulatory standards, including the National Broadcasting Code and the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage. According to Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), “As media gatekeepers, operational leaders play a decisive role in shaping narratives and setting standards. This engagement offers an opportunity to strengthen their commitment to journalism that promotes credibility, transparency, and social inclusion.” Dr. Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), also emphasized:“This engagement is crucial for aligning media leadership with democratic norms. By reinforcing professional ethics and editorial responsibility at the highest levels, we can ensure that the media continues to play a transformative role in Nigeria’s democratic development.” The June 3rd convergence is one of three planned under this intervention. It will be followed by targeted outreach visits to media houses and virtual follow-up sessions, forming a multi-layered approach to deepening accountability and institutional leadership in the media sector. The EU-SDGN II programme underscores the European Union’s strong commitment to supporting a democratic Nigeria that is pluralistic, inclusive, and participatory. The programme is built on six interconnected pillars: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Assembly, the Judiciary, political parties, civil society, and the media. By reinforcing these key democratic institutions, the programme seeks to promote a system of governance where accountability thrives, citizens are empowered, and every voice is heard. SignedOlutoyin AyoadeCommunications OfficerComponent 4 (Support to Media)EU-SDGN II Programmetayoade@ipcng.org

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EDO DECIDES: IPC TASKS JOURNALISTS, SECURITY OPERATIVES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ON SAFETY

Press Release EDO DECIDES: IPC TASKS JOURNALISTS, SECURITY OPERATIVES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ON SAFETY For immediate release, September 19, 2024 The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos- Nigeria has enjoined journalists and other media professionals that would be on electoral duty in Edo State on Saturday, 21st September 2024 to pay deserved attention to their safety. IPC also urged security operatives and other stakeholders that would be involved in the Edo State Governorship election to help ensure the safety of journalists. IPC’s Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade said the call was necessary because of the consistent trend of journalists being victims of attacks during election period and the conflicts and tension by political actors and other players in the electoral process in the state.  “It is very important for journalists covering the Edo State election to be safety conscious in the discharge of their duties, and to avoid situations that will put them in danger.  Journalists are expected to take into consideration some safety measures while on the field he said, adding that they should internalize the following tips: •  Be non-partisan •   Don’t walk or move alone •   Be INEC accredited and have your organizational identity card • Be brave and smart…i.e. cover violent situations from a reasonable distance •   Handle classified information appropriately He also admonished other stakeholders, especially the security agencies to undertake their tasks in a very professional manner. He urged The Inspector General of Police to advice officers and men on the field, to protect accredited journalists, because the media is a critical part of the electoral process and journalists should be accorded due rights and privileges to enable them carry out their social obligations as partners in enshrining the credibility of the electoral process. “Other stakeholders, including elections observers should also proactively provide journalists covering the elections with information to ensure that all work together for the success of the elections”, Mr. Arogundade added. As part of initiatives to keep tab on the safety of journalists, IPC said that there are safety alert officers who journalists under threat/attack can report to via calls or messages. The concerned officers: Melody Akinjiyan (Press Freedom Officer, IPC) – 08132776441 Olutoyin Ayoade (Communication Officer, IPC) – 08114503887 Mr. Arogundade also enjoined journalists to report any threats to the Edo State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. SGD: Melody Akinjiyan Press Freedom Officer, IPC melodyakinjiyan@ipcng.org

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IPC and CEMESO Host Two-Day Annual Stakeholders Meeting and Roundtable on Scorecard & Electoral Process Coverage

Press Release IPC and CEMESO Host Two-Day Annual Stakeholders Meeting and Roundtable on Scorecard & Electoral Process Coverage For immediate release Lagos, Nigeria – July 6, 2024 The International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), both implementing partners of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EUSDGNII) project within Component 4: Support to Media are set to hold two virtual events. The first is a Roundtable on Issues, Trends and Challenges in Coverage of The Electoral Process while the second is an Annual Stakeholders’ Meeting to review the Media’s Performance Scorecard. The initiatives seek to enhance democracy in Nigeria by harnessing the media encompassing broadcast, print, and online platforms—to actively engage with and provide professional coverage of the electoral process. Scheduled to convene virtually on July 8 and 9, the inaugural meeting aims to tackle challenges related to misinformation and disinformation, examining the media’s role in upholding information integrity during the 2023 electoral processes and its impact on promoting voter education. The outcome of the deliberations will inform the development of novel insights aimed at fostering enhanced strategic collaborations and achieving more impactful outcomes leading up to the 2027 elections. The second meeting will evaluate the Media’s Performance Scorecard in the elections and processes, assessing the effectiveness of media interventions in achieving their intended objectives.  Key stakeholders, encompassing media professionals from print, broadcast, and online platforms, as well as prominent figures in the media industry, will participate. This meeting aims to foster dialogue, exchange experiences, and share success stories to further enhance media conduct at elections. The sessions will focus on key topics, including measures to elevate the professionalism of media professionals, strategies to combat electoral misinformation and disinformation, enriching the coverage of the electoral process, improving the dissemination of civic and voter education, fostering media awareness, utilising the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to bolster accountability, strengthening the capabilities of broadcasting regulatory entities, and encouraging media involvement in advocating for the representation of women, youths, and marginalised groups in the political sphere. In a statement, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of IPC said: “The initiatives provide a platform for diverse stakeholders including journalists, election officials, and civil society representatives to collaboratively address emerging issues such as misinformation, voter suppression, and evolving electoral laws which in turn foster greater understanding and promote best practices” Dr. Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director of CEMESO, said: “Both organisations are consistently exploring strategies that enhance transparency and accountability in media practices at elections”. “By evaluating critical metrics such as accuracy, fairness, and responsiveness to public concerns, stakeholders can gauge the media’s effectiveness in serving the public’s interest.” He added. These initiatives are supported by the European Union, highlighting its commitment to promoting democratic values and media integrity in Nigeria. For media inquiries or further information, please contact: Olutoyin Ayoade Communications Officer Component 4 (Support to Media) EUSDGN II Project tayoade@ipcng.org

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IPC Hosts Media Dialogue & Stakeholders’ Interface on Credible Edo Governorship Election

IPC Hosts Media Dialogue & Stakeholders’ Interface on Credible Edo Governorship Election For immediate releaseLagos, Nigeria – July 3, 2024 The International Press Centre (IPC), based in Lagos, Nigeria, is convening a Media Dialogue and Stakeholders’ Interface to address mechanisms for guaranteeing credible conduct of Edo State Governorship Election in September this year. The dialogue and interface are part of ongoing efforts to ensure that the media is Fair, Accurate, Ethical, and Inclusive in its coverage of elections while other stakeholders also perform their role creditably. This initiative, slated for July 4 and 5, 2024, in Benin, Edo State, aligns with the goal of Component 4: Support to Media of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EUSDGNII) project funded by the European Union. The principal aim is to ensure that all relevant stakeholders fulfill their responsibilities diligently, so that the Edo governorship election can be devoid of violence, disinformation and misinformation with the people being able to freely make informed choices. The first day’s sessions will, among others, focus on identifying priority issues for Edo citizens in the elections, early warning indicators of possible violence, key points for civic/voter education and how the media can report fairly, inclusively and accurately. The discussions will also be framed within the EUOM recommendations aimed at enhancing media performance during elections, guaranteeing the integrity of information, and aligning with regulatory frameworks such as the Electoral Act, Nigeria Broadcasting Code, and Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage. On the second day, meetings will be held with key institutional stakeholders including the INEC Resident Commissioner for Edo State, the Edo State Police Command, the Civil Defence Corps, etc. The meetings will emphasise shared responsibilities and the cultivation of cooperative partnerships to protect journalists, promote peaceful elections, and enhance public understanding of voting and counting procedures. Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of IPC, in a statement said: “We expect that this intervention will promote meaningful dialogues and strengthen commitment towards hitch-free Edo Governorship election. The event is expected to attract about 50 stakeholders among who shall be male and female political reporters and other journalists from the Print, Broadcast and Online media who will be on duty during the governorship election. For media inquiries or further information, please contact: Olutoyin AyoadeCommunications OfficerComponent 4 (Support to Media)EUSDGN II Projecttayoade@ipcng.org

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IPC, CEMESO Host Experts Forum and Dialogue on Building Electoral Trust and Addressing Contemporary Issues in Nigeria’s Electoral Process

Press Release For immediate release Lagos, Nigeria – June 24, 2024  The International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), will this week host concurrent events aimed at critically examining contemporary challenges in the electoral processes and enhancing trust in elections within the context of consolidating Nigeria’s democray. Scheduled to take place between June 25th and 27th in Calabar and Abuja respectively, the two events are integral parts of Component 4: Support to Media of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance (EUSDGNII) project, which the two civil society organisations are implementing. The main goal of the engagement with key stakeholders is to engender in-depth discussions to reinforce commitments and develop strategies that promote collaboration among multiple stakeholders for the purpose of improving on the electoral processes. IPC’s initiative, the “Multistakeholder Dialogue on Rebuilding Trust in Electoral Processes, Institutions, and Elections,” taking place in Calabar, Cross River State on Tuesday June 25 will be the fourth in the series coming after previous editions in Abuja (for the North Central), Lagos (for the South west), and Kaduna (for the North west). The forum is meant to generate commitment from electoral stakeholders to play the desired role in enhancing confidence in electoral institutions, electoral processes and the election management body ahead of the 2027 elections. To this end, Prof. Takim Ojua Asu of the University of Calabar, will deliver a keynote address on “The Role of Critical Stakeholders in Rebuilding Trust in Electoral Institutions and Processes in Nigeria” at the event to be chaired by Dr. Itam Abang, a former female member of the Cross River House of Assembly. The discussants shall include Prof. Bolade Eyinla, Chief Technical Adviser to the INEC Chairman, the state leaderships of IPAC, NLC, TUC, NBA, etc.; the representatives of the State Commissioner of Police, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and EUSDGNII partners, Media personnel, Women, Youths, and Community Leaders. CEMESO’s two-day event in Abuja on June 26 and 27 will focus on “Dealing with Contemporary Salient Issues in the Electoral Process” with the aim of delving into contentious issues arising from the recent elections and enumerating the tactics and strategies of addressing them. In this regard, the event will feature expert presentation by Professor Samuel G. Egwu on contemporary electoral issues while Mr. Nicholas Bise Dazang shall moderate the sessions to ensure productive interaction. The forum will have in attendance about 40 journalists from various broadcast media outlets and representatives from the inclusion community who shall explore strategies for enhancing civic and voter education through responsible media coverage. In a statement, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of IPC said: “The thrust of our message is that all the key stakeholders in the electoral processes and elections must take their roles seriously, openly commit to improving on the performance of the roles and be ready to be held accountable for the commitments by the media in particular and the civil society in general”. “We are emphasising trust because without it there cannot be mass and informed participation, which in turn would serve as catalysts of credible and acceptable elections”, he added. Dr. Akin Akingbulu, the Executive Director of CEMESO also said: “Without meticulously identifying and examining the salient issues in the electoral processes particularly in the aftermath of the last general elections, it might be difficult to decide on the best approaches for tackling the contentious ones, so we consider the planned engagement as an important step towards developing appropriate civic and voter education messages to improve future elections”. The endeavours by IPC and CEMESO as supported by the European Union, underscore a collective commitment to advancing democratic governance and fostering transparent electoral practices in Nigeria. For media inquiries or further information, please contact: Olutoyin Ayoade Communications Officer Component 4 (Support to Media) EUSDGN II Project tayoade@ipcng.org

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IPC HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS’ ROUNDTABLE ON THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN DEEPENING DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY: PRESENTS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN PROMISES & LAUNCHES MEDIA AND ELECTION APP

PRESS RELEASE IPC HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS’ ROUNDTABLE ON THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN DEEPENING DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY: PRESENTS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN PROMISES & LAUNCHES MEDIA AND ELECTION APP For Immediate Release: Monday, June 19, 2023 80 delegates will converge for a one-day engagement on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, to delve into the role of the media in deepening democratic governance in Nigeria. The roundtable will feature a lead presentation by Dr. Otive Igbuzor, founding Executive Director of African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) on “Beyond The Rhetoric Of Campaigns: The Role Of Citizens and The Media In Ensuring Democratic Accountability”, which will be followed by contributions by a lead discussant and a plenary discourse. The event, to be chaired by Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, Senior Fellow at Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and chairman of the editorial board of Premium Times and attended by Mr. Tunde Rahman, Media Aide to the president, as guest participant will additionally spotlight President Bola Tinubu’s campaign promises. The documentation of the promises, which cuts across several development indicators, were part of the benchmarks of IPC’s media monitoring on the coverage of the 2023 electoral processes across ten national print and ten online news mediums. Representatives of the media, the government, CSOs, development partners and international community will share ideas on frameworks and mechanisms ensuring democratic accountability as part of the event. IPC shall also launch its recently developed IOS and Media Election App through which hundreds of  journalists and other media professionals, the academia, researchers, etc., would be able to download the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage and have easy access to the content. The European Union funded resource publication has been widely endorsed and over 20,000 copies have been distributed across the Country. In a statement, the Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade said: “ IPC have been supporting the media for more than a decade for the purpose of professionalism in the coverage of the democratic processes and elections and it is expected that this event would lead to the development of collaborative strategies for greater impact”. “The gathering is also important because the fulfillment of campaign promises is at the core of democratic accountability”, he added. The meeting is facilitated by the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria implementing partner with the Institute for Media and Society (IMS) within component 4 (Support to media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria-Phase II (EUSDGN II) project. The specific objective of the EU funded media component is to ensure that, “The Media, including New and Social Media, provides fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the Electoral Process”. SGD: Olutoyin Ayoade Communications Officer Component 4 (Support to Media) EUSDGN II Project tayoade@ipcng.org

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Communique

Issued at the end of a One-Day Stakeholders’ Roundtable on the Media Monitoring Report on Trends in Coverage of 2023 Electoral Process, held on Wednesday March 8, 2023 at Echelon Heights Hotel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Preamble The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, the lead implementing partner of Component 4 (Support to Media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria – Phase 2 (EUSDGN II) project, convened a one-day stakeholders’ roundtable on the outcome of the media monitoring report on the trends in coverage of 2023 electoral process (January 2023) on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The roundtable brought together media stakeholders to analyse the issues arising from the trends in reportage of 15 print/online newspapers and observation on the activities on INEC website/twitter platform for the period January 2023. The roundtable also addressed related issues of media coverage of the 2023 electoral process, especially ahead of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections following which the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage and the Safety Advisory on the Coverage of Elections were also presented and discussed. The roundtable was attended by the leadership of media professional bodies/associations; reporters from the print, broadcast and online mediums and representatives of the academia and the civil society.  Those in attendance and who delivered goodwill remarks and presentations included Mrs. Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State chapter and Comrade Job Stanley, Chairman of Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who also doubled as a discussant of the expert review by Dr. Dike Harcourt Whyte of Rivers State University. The other discussant was Mrs. Emem Okon, the Executive Director of Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre. IPC’s Communication Officer, Ms. Olutoyin Ayoade, delivered the welcome remarks while the Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade made a presentation on the Conflict Sensitivity and Safety Consciousness in the context of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage. Observations: Following the presentations, the participants observed that: Recommendations: In line with the requirements of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage and other regulatory frameworks like the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and the Electoral Act 2022 as well as the IPC Safety Advisory, the participants recommended that journalists and other media professionals should in the aftermath of the presidential and National Assembly elections and ahead of the governorship and state assembly elections strive to: Finally, the participants called on the government, the law enforcement and security agents, the political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission and media proprietors to ensure that they provide the enabling environment for journalists to professionally report the electoral processes and elections. SGD:                                                                                                                         Melody Akinjiyan                                                                                       Press Freedom/Project Officer, IPC   melodyakinjiyan@ipcng.org                                                                            

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IPC HOLDS INTERFACE WITH INEC ON ELECTORAL DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION: FESTUS OKOYE IS SPECIAL GUEST

PRESS RELEASE IPC HOLDS INTERFACE WITH INEC ON ELECTORAL DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION: FESTUS OKOYE IS SPECIAL GUEST For Immediate Release: Thursday, December 8, 2022 Experts from INEC, the media and the civil society will on Saturday December 10, 2022, assemble in Abuja to brainstorm on the challenge of disinformation and misinformation as the 2023 general elections beckons. The interface between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders on flashpoints of electoral disinformation and misinformation ahead of the 2023 Elections is being organised by the International Press Centre (IPC), the lead partner of component 4 (Support to media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria-Phase II (EUSDGN II) project. To be chaired by Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Premium Times and Senior Fellow of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the interface at which Festus Okoye, INEC Commissioner for Information and Voter Education will give the keynote address, is expected to outline measures for curbing fake news in the electoral process. In a statement the Communications Officer of IPC, Ms.  Olutoyin Ayoade, said: “if the spread of fake news in the electoral process is left unchecked it could deny the voters the opportunity to make informed choices at the polls while it may also induce hate speech and electoral violence”. “As observed during the Nigeria 2019 elections, fake news can be potentially weaponized, if appropriate measures are not properly established to tackle it”, the statement added. At least 40 stakeholders including editors, correspondents, CSO representatives, the INEC Director of Voter Education, Mr. Ayo Aluko and the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi are expected at the interface. The specific objective of the EU funded media component is to ensure that, “The Media, including New and Social Media, provides fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the Electoral Process”. SGD: Olutoyin Ayoade Communications Officer Component 4 (Support to Media) EUSDGN II Project tayoade@ipcng.org

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Communique

Issued at a One-Day Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Review of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage, held on Friday, October 14, 2022 At Watbridge Hotel and Suites, Uyo Preamble The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, the implementing partner of Component 4 (Support to Media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria – Phase 2 (EUSDGN II) project, convened a one-day stakeholders’ engagement on the review of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage on Friday, October 14, 2022, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The roundtable brought together media stakeholders to assess the use of and the level of compliance with the Code by the media community. The roundtable was also to discuss areas of the Code requiring possible review based on recent developments and the experience from its application over the last four years. The meeting was attended by editors and reporters from the print, broadcast and online media; the leadership of umbrella media professional bodies/associations; representatives of media regulatory bodies and leaders of civil society organisations working in the media sector.   Those in attendance and who delivered goodwill messages included the Secretary General of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren; the Executive Secretary of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Mr. Feyi Smith; the Executive Secretary of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose; the President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs. Ladi Bala; the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, Mr. Amos Etuk, who represented the NUJ National President, Mr. Chris Isiguzo; the Chairman of the Radio Television Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union (RATTAWU), Uyo State Chapter, and Mr. Mfon Ekpenyo, who represented the National President, Mr. Tsanni Kabir Garba. Others were President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Ms. Maureen Chigbo; Director Research and Documentation at the Nigeria Press Council (NPC), Mrs. Stella Jibrin; Assistant Director, Broadcast Policy and Research at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mrs. Stella Erhunmwunsee and former Editor of the National Concord newspaper, Mr. Nsikak Essien, who moderated the roundtable, Mr. Odaro Aisien of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Executive Director, of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Mr. Edetaen Ojo. IPC’s Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, delivered the welcome remarks followed by the Executive Director, of Institute for Media and Society (IMS), Dr. Akin Akingbulu, the other implementing partner of Component 4 of EU-SDGN II project. The discussions were kick-started with the presentation on “Bridging gaps; identifying areas to strengthen compliance” by Mr. Edetaen Ojo of Media Rights Agenda, who also served as the expert consultant at the meeting. Observations, Conclusions and Recommendations The meeting reaffirmed the imperative of using a self-regulatory instrument to ensure professionalism and compliance with ethical standards in the coverage of electoral processes by the media as a way of ensuring the credibility of the media and restoring public trust in the media. Participants endorsed the Code as a complement to other instruments, including laws and regulations as well as the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which are intended to help the country to achieve the key objectives of equity and fairness in media coverage of political activities. They acknowledged the absence of strong enforcement mechanisms in the Code but stressed that as a voluntary instrument, its goal is not to punish journalists or media organisations but to provide a frame of reference to guide the sector during electoral processes and beyond and thereby contribute to the improvement of professional standards and media conduct in election coverage. Participants agreed to update the Code, among other things, by specifically highlighting the role of law enforcement and security agencies, particularly their duty to ensure a safe and conducive environment for journalists and other media practitioners to carry out their duties. Participants called on law enforcement and security agencies to ensure that every attack on journalists and other media practitioners is promptly and properly investigated and that the perpetrators are brought to justice. They noted that for the Code to be effective, the different stakeholder groups involved in elections and media regulation need to play their roles effectively in order to create an enabling environment for the media to perform its professional and social obligations during electoral processes. They identified the different stakeholders as Government, including all levels of government as well as law enforcement and security agencies, political parties, the Election Management Body, namely INEC and the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), and Civil Society Organizations, saying that they need to create the conditions under which the media can do its work safely. Participants suggested that beyond disseminating the Code to media stakeholders, further engagements should be held with them to ensure that those to whom it applies are fully aware of their responsibilities and to enable an assessment of the internal and institutional challenges limiting compliance and implementation, as well as how to overcome such challenges. They called on all media organisations to ensure that all political parties and candidates in elections are given equitable, fair and balanced coverage and that opposition political parties or candidates are not denied access to or the ability to use of Government owned or controlled media on the same basis as the ruling political party or its candidates. Participants called on all media organisations to refrain from publishing misinformation and disinformationand topromptly correct any inaccurate, misleading or false information and to publish the correction with the same prominence with which the original report was published, whether inadvertently or otherwise. Participants expressed gratitude to the European Union for providing the resources for the project under which the activity is being undertaken as well as for its support to the promotion of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. SGD:    Lanre Arogundade                                                                                 Executive Director, IPC   larogundade@ipcng.org             

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IPC HOLDS ROUNDTABLE TO REVIEW THE NIGERIAN MEDIA CODE OF ELECTION COVERAGE

For Immediate Release: Friday 14, October, 2022 Today, Friday October 14, 2022, The International Press Centre (IPC), implementing partners with the Institute for Media and Society (IMS) under component 4 (Support to media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria-Phase 2 (EUSDGN II) project is holding a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on the update of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The roundtable is one of the activities aimed at fulfilling the objectives of Component 4 (Support to media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria-Phase 2 (EUSDGN II) project, being implemented by IPC in partnership with the Institute for Media and Society (IMS). IPC notes that in line with the overall goal of the media component under EU-SDGNII to “Support the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria with the media (broadcast, print and online media) helping to facilitate the key ingredient of credible elections through engagement and professionalism in coverage and reportage of the electoral processes”, it has championed the development and dissemination of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage as an industry-driven self-regulatory guideline for election reporting since 2015. Harmonised with the specific objective of ensuring that, “The Media, including New and Social Media, provides fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the Electoral Process”, IPC also spotlights that the update of the code which in 2018, was endorsed by all the major media professional bodies and associations in Nigeria, as well as over 200 media organisations, has been instrumental in engendering professional reporting of the Nigerian electoral processes. The Executive Director, IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade in a statement stated that, “Ahead of the 2023 elections, it has become imperative to not only update and re-produce the code in line with the overall goal of the media component of EUSDGN II, but to additionally deliberate on enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance by journalists and media institutions”. Mr. Arogundade, also added that following the review, the code will be re-published and widely distributed with availability in many more online media, to broaden the scope of distribution beyond the milestone that was achieved in 2018. He also said that IPC expects the reviewed and updated code to provoke further stakeholders’ commitment to create an enabling atmosphere for hitch-free coverage of their activities. Participating in the review meeting are representatives of Media Umbrella Professional Bodies/Associations, CSOs, Academia, Journalists, government, EMBs, and CSOs. SGD:Olutoyin AyoadeCommunications OfficerComponent 4 (Support to media)EUSDGN II Projecttayoade@ipcng.org

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