IPC, CEMESO Rally Media, Stakeholders for Credible Ekiti Governorship Poll
Oru Leonard
Lagos, April 14, 2026 — As momentum builds ahead of the Ekiti State governorship election, the International Press Centre (IPC), and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), have convened a high-level media–stakeholder forum to strengthen electoral transparency, accountability, and credible reporting.
The two-day forum, holding from April 15 to 16, is part of Component 4 (Support to Media) under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase II (EU-SDGN II) programme. It brings together journalists and institutional actors to assess emerging electoral dynamics and enhance the media’s role in promoting informed voter choices.
Discussions on the opening day focus on early warning signals within Ekiti’s socio-political environment, as well as threats to information integrity, including misinformation and deepfakes. Participants are also exploring strategies to strengthen accurate, inclusive, and gender-sensitive electoral reporting.
The forum is drawing from recommendations by the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM), alongside Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks such as the Electoral Act, the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, and the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage.
On the second day, a multi-stakeholder panel featuring representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria Police Force, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) will address collaboration on journalists’ safety, conflict-sensitive reporting, and peaceful civic engagement.
Following the forum, targeted media appearances across radio and television stations in Ekiti are scheduled for April 17 to boost voter awareness and encourage peaceful participation.
Speaking ahead of the event, IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, warned that electoral integrity in Nigeria continues to face threats such as violence, vote buying, weak enforcement, misinformation, and emerging technologies like deepfakes.
“Accurate and responsible reporting remains essential to safeguarding electoral probity,” he said, noting that the initiative aims to deepen collaboration and reinforce accountability.
Similarly, CEMESO Executive Director, Akin Akingbulu, highlighted the growing complexity of the information space, stressing the need for stronger media capacity to ensure credible election coverage.
About 50 journalists across print, broadcast, and digital platforms are participating in the forum, which builds on similar engagements held in Edo, Kogi, Anambra, and Ondo states.
Organisers also disclosed that the initiative will extend to the Osun governorship election scheduled for August 2026, as part of broader efforts to strengthen democratic consolidation and promote inclusive electoral processes across Nigeria.
