AHMED MARI, Maiduguri
For effective and violent free elections come 2027, a non-governmental organization (NGO), Cooperate Accountability and Public Participation in Africa (CAPPA), has trained journalists in Borno on peaceful and non-violent elections in preparation for the 2027 election.
The workshop which was organized by the CAPPA and powered by the European Union (EU) brought together journalists from different media organisations and practicing journalists in the state.
In her presentation at the One Day workshop held at the Prime Lodge Maiduguri on Wednesday, the Policy and Legal Drafting officer, CAPPA, Shade Oyelade said journalists play a great role in the election process as empowered by sections 92, 94 and 98 of the Electoral Law.
Mrs Oyelade in her paper titled” Electoral Law and Provision for Media” the media as a watchdog of society plays essential roles as the closest arm of society compared to the political parties, electoral bodies and electorates.
“Journalists are the bridge that links the masses with the government, political parties, electoral body and the candidates but for you to achieve this you have to guide your image, integrity to build confidence and trust of all”, she added.
Also in his presentation, the program and digital Campaign Manager, of CAPPA, Mr Abayemi Sarumi said for effective electoral reportage there is a need for journalists to always check and cross-check their facts using digital Artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid misinformation, disinformation and Fake news.
Other papers presented at the workshop include Conflict-sensitive Journalism, Election and post-election role of media, inclusive reporting and Understanding Elections and Disability Act, among others.
