Members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), on Tuesday, converged in Enugu for the South East Town Hall meeting on “Agenda Setting for Sustainable Democratic Culture,’’ organised by the Guild in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria.
In his address, at the event organised for journalists, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and religious organisations in the South-East zone, NGE President, Mustapha Isah, called on the media to monitor politicians’ compliance with the Electoral Act as the country prepares for the 2023 general elections.
He said that the call was necessary as some politicians could attempt to circumvent provisions of the Electoral Act to achieve their personal interests.
The NGE president noted that the media had the capacity to sustain Nigeria’s democracy by holding political office holders to account.
He said that good governance would thrive when journalists were given the freedom to function.
Isah is of the view that the media should interrogate promises by candidates in the 2023 general elections to ensure that they do not deceive the electorate.
“We should ensure that political leaders do not divide us with religion and ethnicity.
“The media should strive to set the agenda rather than allow politicians set the agenda,” Isah said.
The Spokesperson, U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Ms Jeanne Clark, said that the media, CSOs and religious organisations had shared responsibilities in promoting fundamental freedom.
She said that the media had important roles to play toward free speech and helping to sustain resilient democracy.
Clark charged the media to focus on issues of transparency while holding politicians to account, adding that democracy needed not be administered as an enterprise.
She said that the U.S. Embassy was proud to support the meeting, as the contribution of the media to democracy was profound.
“Let us start today with renewed vigour and enthusiasm to defend democracy,” Clark said.
In a keynote speech, a Senior Lecturer, Renaissance University, Enugu, Dr. Maxwell Ngene, said that the programme would afford the media the opportunity to build their capacity.
He said that it was necessary that the media set agenda for politicians in order to have a stable democratic culture.
“Journalists must work very hard to change perceptions such that Nigerians will stop talking and acting in religious and ethnic prisms,” he said.
Speaking, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Comrade Sam Udekwe, said that the meeting was a very bold step towards promoting the importance of journalists in the country.
He commended the NGE for organising the event, which he said would effectively prepare journalists in the zone for the 2023 general elections
The event attracted Editors, Journalists, Mass Communication students and Civil Society Organisations from the South-East.
