By Our Correspondent
The International Press Centre (IPC) has urged journalists, editors and media publishers to prioritise fact-checking, accountability journalism and public-interest reporting ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, gave the charge during a two-day engagement with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), editors and publishers in Akure, Ondo State.
Arogundade, who was represented by the centre’s Programme Manager, Stella Nwofia, said the programme was designed to strengthen journalists’ capacity to deliver credible, balanced and inclusive election coverage.
The engagement was organised under Component Four, Support to Media, of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase III programme.
He emphasised that election reporting should extend beyond political campaigns, rallies and candidates’ activities to address the needs of citizens, scrutinise campaign promises and provide voters with credible information to make informed electoral decisions.
According to him, journalists should focus on critical issues affecting the electorate, including the economy, education, healthcare, security, employment and infrastructure, while ensuring that women, young people, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups receive adequate attention in election coverage.
Arogundade warned that sensational reporting, unverified claims and the spread of misinformation and disinformation could erode public trust, fuel divisions and weaken democratic institutions.
He therefore called on media practitioners to strengthen their verification processes, exercise caution when reporting politically sensitive issues and uphold accuracy over speed, noting that fact-checking remained essential to responsible election reporting.
One of the resource persons, Adegbenro Adebanjo, Director of Corporate Communications at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, urged journalists to investigate the needs of grassroots communities and reflect such concerns in their reports on political parties’ manifestos.
Another facilitator, Olusola Oludiran, addressed participants on integrating fact-checking into accountability journalism, while Daniel Dabo trained them on the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve journalistic practice.
Arogundade also stressed the importance of journalists’ safety and professional independence, urging stakeholders to ensure that media practitioners could carry out their duties without intimidation, harassment or unlawful interference.
He said credible election coverage, supported by rigorous fact-checking and issue-based reporting, was essential to helping Nigerians make informed choices and strengthening democratic governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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