ANAMBRA ELECTION: INEC Urges Increased Media Action, As Journalists hold one day forum
Oru Leonard
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman in Nigeria, Professor Mamood Yakub has urged Journalists to step up action in reporting the operations and procedures in the various media. Prof Yakub who was represented by the INEC Commissioner in charge of information and voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye reiterated that INEC is committed to following the provision of the Constitution, repairs of initial destroyed INEC properties, registration of voters including movement of materials, deploying of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS technology and all efforts to make sure that the Anambra State gubernatorial election runs smoothly on November 6th, 2021.
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba represented by the DIG Muyiwa Adejobi said measures are being put in place to ensure that Anambra State governorship election is free and fair.
Speaking, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi who commended the INEC Press Corps for the support it have given to the Commission since the inception of the current administration, noted that citizen journalists as a challenge to mainstream media, saying, they are creating a lot problem for real journalists because the tenet journalists hold dear has been bastardized by so called citizen journalists because of the kind of rumor, fake news, misinformation and disinformation they publish in social media.
He advised Public Relations (PR) consultants who take up PR job to damage or destroy image of others for a living to desist from such.
Earlier in his welcome address, the lNEC Press Corps Chairman, Mr. Segun Ojumu called on the electoral umpire to leave no stone unturned in the inclusion of Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD), in the electoral process as the governorship election in Anambra State draws near.
He urged INEC to provide sign language interpreters at polling units and registration centres during the election in Anambra State.
The Founder, Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Ekpelle commened INEC for being the only organization in the country that has expressively inclusive on Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD), employed the Corps leadership to take the opportunity of various organizations that work in the same space to mainstream them to function effectively through trainings and projects.
Also speaking, the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba who was represented by the DIG Muyiwa Adejobi said as the lead securiry agency in election matters, measures are being put in place to ensure that Anambra State governorship election is free and fair.
INEC disclosed that an online portal registration for journalists that would cover the election in Anambra would be opened by next week.
