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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 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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Media Roundtable on Electoral Reform Holds

June 24, 2020 Press Release MEDIA ROUNDTABLE ON ELECTORAL REFORMS HOLDS For immediate release: Wednesday June 24, 2020. A roundtable aimed at promoting discourse on the role of the media in promoting electoral reforms holds on tomorrow – Thursday June 25, 2020 from 10.30am to 12.30pm. The roundtable is being convened with the Yiaga Africa, European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) and EU-SDGN townhall meeting on electoral reforms taking place on June 30th in focus. The theme of the webinar is: Media as Catalysts of Best Democratic Practices: Yiaga Africa-ECES/EU-SDGN Town hall meeting on electoral reforms in focus. The thrust of the webinar is to elicit media interest in and facilitate greater media coverage and reportage of the whole gamut of the electoral process to ensure that needed reforms are passed by the National Assembly through needed amendments to the Electoral Act and the constitution. About Ninety participants (male and female journalists and editors) from the broadcast, print and online media (across the six-geo political zone) shall participate in the webinar in pursuance of the broad objectives of the EU-SDGN project. A team media of experts comprising Mr. Hamza Idris, Editor of Daily Trust; Mr. Taiwo Gorge, Editor, The Cable; Dr. Biodun Ogidan, Nigeria Community Radio Coalition; Mrs. Mary Atolagbe, Secretary, Nigerian Guild of Editors/Deputy Director Digital Media Voice of Nigeria (VON); Mr. Imoni Amarere, Executive Director, AIT and Mr. Eze Anaba, Editor, Vanguard shall offer insights on the theme. The event shall also feature opening remarks by Dr. Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director, IMS; Mrs. Laolu Olawumi, Programme Manager, EU-SDGN and Manji Wilson – Coordination Advisor/Electoral Administration Expert, ECES while Mr. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of YIAGA Africa shall give the background note among others. There will also be special interventions by Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman and Mr. Jake Epelle, Executive Director of The Albino Foundation. The event can be viewed live on IPC facebook media page and social media handles. SANMI FALOBIProgramme ManagerInternational Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, Nigeria www.ipcng.org l www.twitter.com/IPCng l www.facebook.com/ipc.nigeria l www.youtube.com/ipcng l Google+ : Ipc Ng ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Tel: +234 80 2362 6281 Twitter: @sanmifalobi /Facebook: sanmifalobi /Linkedin:Sanmifalobi ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. Freelance Journalist @ www.sdnonline.net Publisher/Editor@ SUCCESSTACT #successtact WACC-Africa Region (WACC-AR) member @ INNATE COMMUNICATIONS Associate Member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR)

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Kogi and Bayelsa States 2019 Governorship – INEC offers its support.

As countdown for the the Kogi and Bayelsa States 2019 Governorship Elections are just a few days away, scheduled for Saturday, 16 November, 20019. The INEC has assured the public that the INEC Citizens Contact Centre (ICCC) is available to the public for responses to enquiries, incident-reports, complaints about the electoral process. The Independent National Electoral Commission Citizens Contact Centre (ICCC) is a facility allowing the general public constant access to the Commission with enquiries and exchange of information. The INEC Citizens Contact Centre (ICCC) is a Situation Room that operates daily. For now, it will open between 9am and 5pm. Later on, the Centre will scale up to round-the-clock (i.e. 24-hour) service. As a daily Situation Room, the Centre offers the public opportunity for getting real time responses to enquiries, incident-reports, complaints and queries about any aspect of the electoral process. The Centre can be accessed through telephone lines, INEC’s website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Emails and myINEC Mobile App. 1. HOTLINES: 0700-CALL-INEC (0700-2255-4632) 2. Website address: www.inecnigeria.org 3. Facebook: www.facebook.com/inecnigeria (INEC Nigeria) 4. Twitter handle: @inecnigeria 5. Instagram: @inecnigeria 6. E-mail: iccc@inec.gov.ng 7. You can also download the official myINEC App on Google Play Store via this link  >>> Download here …..Call in, someone will be waiting to respond….. INEC: Making your votes count… Consolidating our democracy

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Nigeria Decides: IPC Tasks Journalists, Relevant Stakeholders on Safety Consciousness

Press Release For immediate release, February 21, 2018 The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos- Nigeria has tasked journalists and other relevant stakeholders on safety consciousness in the performance of key institutional roles as the re-scheduled presidential and national Assembly elections holds on Saturday. IPC Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade sounded this caution in the light of the emerging accusations and counter accusations by political actors and other players in the electoral process.  “It is very important for journalists covering the general elections to be safety conscious in the discharge of their duties, and to avoid situations that will put them in harms way.  Journalists are expected to be non-partisan. Being partisan is not only about being a member of a political party, but also includes the use of expressions and/or impressions with statements,  tags, symbols and colours that portray or identify with a particular political party or personality”, Arogundade said. He also admonished other stakeholders, especially the security agencies to undertake their tasks in a very professional manner. “The security agencies in recent times are the perpetrators of violence against journalists. Recent incidents as witnessed in the Osun re-run elections had shown vagrant abuse and violations of the rights of journalists. The security forces should note that the media is a critical part of the electoral process and so the media 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 credibility of the electoral process”, Arogundade added. As part of initiatives to keep tab on the safety consciousness of journalists, IPC said that there are safety alert officers across the zones who journalists under threat can report to.  Arogundade said that in cases of attacks or insecurity issues, concerned journalists on the field can contact any of the following persons: Lanre Arogundade (Director, IPC) – 08023186845 Melody Akinjiyan (Safety Alert Officer, IPC) – 08132776441 Nwaebuni Rosemary (South South) – 08035146978 Bello MujtabaRamalan (North West) – 08037004618 Moses Ojo (South West) – 08034399077 AbdulkareemHaruna (North East) – 08057244878 Elizabeth Achuagu (South East) – 08033538251 Naomi Okoh (North Central) – 07031265156 Mr. Arogundade also enjoined journalists to report any threats to the National Secretariat of the NUJ or the NUJ State Chapters. SGD: Melody Akinjiyan Program Officer/ Safety Alert Officer IPC melodyakinjiyan@ipcng.org +2348132776441

2019 Elections, ECOWAS, EU-SDGN, IMS, INEC, Media News, News, Press Release, UNILAG

Press Release-Youths and Elections: INEC Chair, Omotola, AY, other top celebrities for UNILAG Campus Outreach Programme

As part of broad range of activities to deepen the engagement of youth ahead of the 2019 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within the framework of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) shall be holding the Lagos edition of the ‘Youth Votes Count Campus Outreach’. The programme will hold on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Hall, University of Lagos, (UNILAG) Akoka, Lagos from 9am. Aimed at increasing the level of youth participation in elections through registration, voting as well as boosting citizens’ trust and confidence in the electoral processes, the programme will be attended by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Ketil Karlsen. Top celebrities including Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Helen Paul, Ayo ‘AY’ Makun, Cobhams Asuquo, and institutional stakeholders like the INEC Resident Commissioner for Lagos State as well other electoral stakeholders from the civil society and the media will also grace the event to be moderated by Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV. The Youth Votes count Campus Outreach Programme, which started at the University of Abuja on May 3, 2018 is scheduled to take place in five other Universities across the country including the one at the University of Lagos. The International Press Centre (IPC) and the Institute for Media and Society (IMS) who are implementing components 4a and 4b – Support to Media, of the EU-SDGN project shall be providing media support for the UNILAG event. Lanre Arogundade Director

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