Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), an NGO, has advised media practitioners to ensure that their reportage of the March 11 Governorship and House of Assembly polls encourages peace and non-violence.
Executive Director of CAPPA, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, gave the advice on Monday during a media training on Peaceful and Non-violent elections in Port Harcourt.
He said that the training was part of the phase 11 European Union (EU) support to democratic governance in Nigeria towards a peaceful and non-violent 2023 election.
Oluwafemi stated that the training was also organized to engage the media on the need for a peaceful election reportable in the country.
He said that there was also the need to engage the media on the ways of dousing tension after the presidential election, particularly in the upcoming governorship election and State Houses of Assembly elections.
Oluwafemi said that the media practitioners were expected to douse tension rather than encourage violence in their reportage.
”This training would remind journalists on how to cast their headlines and reports not to cause crisis in the society.
”They are expected to educate the public to understand the policies and promote peace, looking at our strength in diversity to build a stronger democracy and a peaceful nation,” he said.
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He urged journalists to stick to the ethics of their profession to promote peace and non-violent election in Nigeria.
Oluwafemi urged Nigerians to be patient with the process of democracy.
He said that Nigeria would continue to grow in spite of the shortcomings that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had identified and assured that they would be addressed.
He urged Nigerians to give INEC the chance to prove their capacity, adding that eligible Nigerians should move out en masse to vote for the candidates of their choice in the elections.
Similarly, Mrs. Zikora Ibeh, the CAPPA Policy and Research Officer, who spoke on the topic ”Media in Peace Building”, urged journalists to challenge hate speech and misinformation by calling out and correcting false information.
She urged the media to promote responsible reportage that discouraged incitement to violence or divisions in the country.
She also urged the media to provide a platform to encourage peaceful expression and allow individuals as well as communities to express their views and concerns.
