PROF. NICK EZEH, THE UGOEZE ENUGU STATE HAS CHALLENGED MEDIA PRACTITIONERS TO QUESTION THE STATUS QUO, AND ENSURE ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF POLITICAL GROUPS IN THE 2023 ELECTION
The Enugu West Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Professor Nick Ezeh, has called on the media to investigate claims questioning the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, in conducting a free, fair and credible elections in 2023.
The Professor of Political Economics made the call, while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the newly elected officials of the Radio, Television, Theater and Arts Worker’s Union of Nigeria, Radio Nigeria Chapter, at the Sam Nwaneri Event Centre, Enugu.
Ugoeze described the media as vanguards of the demand side of good governance, urging them to imbibe tenets of fairness, objectivity, and balance in carrying out their duties.
“Your role as “watchdogs” and ensuring fair play in politics, politicking and the electoral process can best be achieved by the media through the adoption of transparency in seeking accountability from public office holders. This transparency requires that the media must be thorough in seeking information and is duty bound to relay such information to the public and electorate no matter its level of affiliation with the person or persons in view as long as they are seeking public office.
“These are in addition to Media role of keeping the citizenry well informed which make you people social accountability agents and vanguards of the “demand side” of good governance. This aspect of your work is most enduring because it strengthens the voice and capacity of citizens (especially poor citizens) to directly demand greater accountability and responsiveness from public officials and service providers.”
“Furthermore, as the closest source of interface between the electorate and the electoral management body INEC, it is also imperative that the media investigates the INECs claims on its state of preparedness and reports infractions by having its presence at registration centres, campaign locations and venues of voting, counting, collation and announcement of results to prevent electoral malpractice. ”
” The Media must also respect the laws and the electoral process by ensuring that they only feed voters with authentic, accurate and balanced news and reports about the process. Media commentaries must be founded on substantiated facts and figures and not tainted or flawed by rumors or opinions. The Media must be professional, fair and neutral.” He said.
Lamenting the decay in the media sector, the Enugu West Senatorial Candidate challenged media practitioners to rise to the occasion of ensuring equity, accountability and transparency, as well as accurate representation of political groups.
“It is important to state that a compromised or manipulated Media or one that bends to the whims and caprices of politicians, special interest groups and/or political parties is itself a fraud on the electoral process. The Media must give equal treatment to all and sundry. It must avoid the temptation of restricting its patronage to moneybags and influential politicians.
“In educating and keeping the citizenry abreast of electoral events and raising electoral awareness, the Media must stop engaging in inflammatory language that promotes election-related violence. In its role as the shaper and molder of public opinion, the Media must not be an agent for the manipulation and misinformation of the public. It is generally agreed that elections, and electioneering campaigns, in particular, put the objectivity and impartiality of the Media to the highest test.” He added.
He emphasized the need to collectively rebuild the zone from what is left of it under the PDP-led administration.
The renown business- politician also noted that his desire is to bring to speed the Enugu West Senatorial Zone, in terms of education, Security, empowerment and sustainable growth.
He emphasized the need to collectively rebuild the zone from what is left of it under the PDP-led administration.
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