James Azania, Lokoja
The Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kogi State, Prof. James Apam has denied rumours making the round that that the commission has recruited members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, as ad-hoc staff or electoral officers, for the forthcoming November 16, governorship election in the state.
Speaking at a “Sensitization Forum for Media Executives, Bloggers and Journalists on Election and Fake News in Kogi State,” yesterday, in Lokoja, he noted that the stakes in the forthcoming governorship election as high, and reasons why the need to curtail incidences of fake news.
The programme was organised by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), in partnership with USAID and UKaid.
According to the REC, there has been a build-up of tension in Kogi, which has continued building up by the day.
He urged media practitioners t check their facts and help check misinformation regarding the Kogi election.
He described election as the hallmark of democracy, adding that as media practitioners, they “should serve as watchdogs against misinformation in the forthcoming Kogi election.”
He asserted that no list of ad-hoc staff has been received by the commission, describing as lies rumours that APC members have been recruited for the purpose of the governorship poll.
He said that only the list of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) has been compiled.
He disclosed that aside the lists of 255 SPOs, which is generated from federal establishments, the commission was yet to have the list of the 13,000 ASPOs that would be used for the forthcoming governorship election.
He said that the commission is committed to conducting credible polls in Kogi.
Read Also; We are willing, ready to deliver credible election in Kogi – INEC
“The commission will be transparent and fair in the conduct of the forthcoming November governorship election, and I urge the stakeholders to collaborate with INEC for a credible polls,” he added.
The Deputy Country Director for IFES, Seray Jah, explained that the sensitization forum was to create a suitable way of ensuring a robust and efficient promotion of public knowledge on the electoral process and elections procedures.
He noted that journalists and media executives are key drivers in the forthcoming November governorship election, saying that they should remain mindful of the negative consequences of fake news and avoid it.
The chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrd. Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, said members will always be guided by professionalism, and that unbiased reportage will continue to remain the watch of members, before, during or after the governorship election.
Leave a Reply