The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has emphasized the crucial role of journalists in ensuring the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process. Speaking at the presentation of a book titled ‘The INEC Press Corps: Chronicles of Nigeria’s Election Journalists,’ INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Nick Amupitan, warned that even strong electoral systems can be weakened by misinformation, misinterpretation, or deliberate distortion of facts.
Amupitan stressed that elections succeed when the public believes in the information they receive, and journalists provide the necessary “on-ground verification” to sustain confidence in the ballot. He described the over 100 members of the INEC Press Corps as indispensable links between the commission and the voting public, playing a critical role in ensuring transparent and verifiable outcomes.
The INEC director urged journalists to abandon reliance on rumors and instead verify all information directly from the commission, citing the website and digital channels as the most authoritative points of contact for accurate information. He praised the impact of media reporting, citing coverage of the Anambra governorship election and the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration.
Amupitan called for a sustained partnership to tackle vote-buying, rigging, and deliberate falsehoods that discourage voters or trigger unrest. He emphasized the need for the media to act against falsehoods that suppress turnout, incite violence, or undermine the integrity of election results.
The book’s author, Segun Ojumu, said the publication was inspired by his eleven years of reporting on INEC and a decade of covering election cycles. He described the book as a tribute to journalists who work in volatile and demanding environments, citing the ordeal of colleague Chux Ukwuatu as an example of the dangers faced by journalists defending the public’s right to accurate information.
Ojumu commended INEC’s technological reforms, including digital accreditation and the IReV results portal, which have transformed election reporting. He called for continuous training and mental-health support for journalists operating in high-pressure situations and urged INEC, political parties, security agencies, and the media to prioritize reporter safety, emphasizing that democracy thrives only when the messenger is protected.
As INEC prepares for the FCT polls and the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, Amupitan pledged continued openness, accountability, technological innovation, and collaboration. The commission’s efforts to ensure a credible electoral process will depend on the effective partnership with journalists and other stakeholders to promote transparency, accuracy, and trust in the electoral system.
