ELECTIVE office seeks have been advised to make their campaigns issue-based.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) gave the counsel as a stakeholder in the promotion of democracy.
NGE General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren said the editors have been taking keen interest in the electoral process to guarantee the survival, growth and development of the media industry.
In a statement, Uwugiaren said the media has a huge responsibility to wield its gauntlet in order to put political actors on their toes.
He also advised the media to rise to arrest this drift in order to prevent the nation from being torn to shreds in the face of growing divisive tendencies by state and non-state actors.
The counsels were contained in a communique of the 18th All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC), with a theme: “Political landscape, credible elections and the role of editors, organised by the editors in Owerri, Imo State.
The communique was signed by NGE President, Mustapha Isah and Uwugiaren.
A total of 320 editors representing print, broadcast and online media across the country attended the conference.
Noting that the media has a responsibility to ensure that political actors abide by issue based campaigns, the editors said there is the urgent need by the media to play down on reports that tend to exacerbate divisive tendencies as part of the process of promoting integration and diversity.
The statement reads: “The media should unequivocally set the agenda of discourse to prevent mischief makers from holding sway. Journalists must ensure that those who seek to lead the people at different levels are properly grilled in order to present the people with informed choices.
“The media, more than any other institutions in the country, is equipped to check the drift towards insanity. It has a responsibility to wield its gauntlet in order to put political actors on their toes and ensure that political actors abide by issue based campaigns.”
On the security situation, the conference urged security agencies to see the media as partners and not adversities in the anti-terror war; appreciate the work of journalists; and eschew intimidation, harassment and other acts that impede the work of the media.
The conference also enjoined the media to check the increasing resort to fake news, which has the tendency to cause panic, despair and unnecessary stoking of anger.
It said: “As the 2023 general elections draw near, the editors noted the introduction of technology and the ushering of Electoral Act 2022, which have armed the Independent National Electoral Commission to deliver better election outcomes, advising the electoral body to resist undue influence and intimidation from the political class.
“The conference commended the Office of the National Security Adviser for promoting a more congenial atmosphere for media engagement and expressed profound and deep gratitude to the Imo State Government and the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma for hosting the conference”.