Isiyaku Ahmed
The International Press Centre (IPC) has urged journalists and media organizations to prioritize professional standards, fact-checking, accountability and citizen-centred reporting ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The organization also called on the media to move beyond event-driven electoral coverage and focus more on investigating campaign promises, verifying political claims and amplifying citizens’ concerns.
IPC Executive Director, Dr. Lanre Arogundade, made the call on Monday in a welcome address delivered on his behalf by the organisation’s IT and Social Media Officer, Abiodun Adeleke, at an interface with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), editors and publishers in Kano State.
The event, held at Hilton Palace Hotel, Kano, was organised by IPC under Component 4 (Support to Media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN III) Program to promote professional standards and democratic accountability in journalism ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Arogundade said the approach to electoral reporting needed to be reassessed as Nigeria prepares for another election cycle, stressing the importance of providing citizens with credible, balanced, inclusive and public-interest information.
He noted that elections go beyond political campaigns, rallies, candidates and the announcement of results, adding that they also involve citizens’ aspirations, concerns and expectations of leadership.
According to him, the media has a responsibility to facilitate informed public discourse, scrutinise political promises, hold public officials accountable and ensure that citizens’ voices are reflected in the democratic process.
He warned that sensationalism, unverified claims, inflammatory rhetoric and the spread of misinformation and disinformation could undermine public confidence, deepen divisions and weaken democratic institutions.
He therefore urged journalists to embrace accuracy, fairness, verification and conflict-sensitive reporting to promote public trust and contribute to peaceful, credible and inclusive elections.
The IPC executive director further challenged media organizations to pay greater attention to issues affecting citizens, including the economy, education, healthcare, security, employment and infrastructure.
He also called for increased visibility for women, young people, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups in electoral coverage.
On the growing influence of digital platforms, Arogundade said that while they had created opportunities for information sharing and public participation, they had also increased the speed and scale of misinformation, manipulated content, hate speech and divisive narratives.
He urged journalists to strengthen their verification skills and resist the pressure to prioritize speed over accuracy, insisting that fact-checking must remain an integral part of responsible electoral reporting.
He also stressed the need to protect the safety and professional independence of journalists, saying they should be able to perform their legitimate duties without intimidation, harassment or unlawful interference.
Arogundade encouraged participants to actively contribute to the engagement by sharing experiences, raising critical questions and developing ideas to improve electoral reporting across print, broadcast and online media.
He said the success of the engagement should be measured not only by the quality of discussions but also by the stories published, claims verified, citizens’ concerns amplified and professional standards upheld ahead of the elections.
Arogunde appreciated the Kano State Council of the NUJ for its support in facilitating the engagement and commended the resource persons for agreeing to lead the discussions.
He also expressed gratitude to the European Union for providing financial support for the program.
IPC Executive Director urged participants to translate the deliberations into improved professional practices that would strengthen democratic accountability and public interest journalism ahead of the 2027 general elections.
