A former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, Mike Igini, has explained how the media can help the electorate to make informed choices in next year’s general election.
He said: “This is possible when the media sets the agenda on issues and policy debates for candidates and parties.”
Igini made this known in a paper he presented in Calabar during the 2022 Media Week, organised by the Cross River State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Igini’s paper was titled: “2023 General Election, The Nigeria Project and The Media”.
He said: “The most important role of the media in a democracy as a watchdog is setting agenda on issues and policy debates on security, economy, job creation and employment, education, health, infrastructure and foreign policy for parties and their candidates.
“This is the only way the media can help Nigerians to make informed choices of qualified and competent leaders that will occupy the legislative and executive arms of the government.
“My principal submission is that the success or failure of the Nigerian project is up to us the people of this country.
“The coming 2023 election is yet another opportunity for us to renew the journey of our country in terms of those who have run the affairs of the country and the policies that have been implemented in the last few years.”
Igini said 2023 was critical to the country “and we must make a success of it, hence must not be left in the hands of politicians alone.”
He said all hands must be on deck next year for the nation building process.
Igini highlighted some sections of the electoral act, which would make next year’s poll difficult to manipulate.
He said: “The whole of sections 29, 31, 33, 34, 43, 47, 50, 51, 60, 61, 65, 77, 81, 84, 91, 95, 115, 121,134 and 137 of the Act provides for compulsory use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) for the accreditation of voters across Nigeria.
“It’s a dual system i.e. biometrics and facial recognition. Consequently, the use of incident form is completely eliminated.”
The Chairman of Cross River State chapter of the NUJ, Nsa Gill, said the theme of the Media Week: “2023 General Election: The Nigerian Project and the Media”, was carefully and deliberately chosen for obvious reasons.
He added: “Whether we like it or not, we are faced with a political decision that will either make or mar our future as a country.”