The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osun State Council, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin has identified security as a major concern ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The NUJ Chairman raised the concerns on Thursday when election observers from the International Republican Institute, IRI, met with the union in Osogbo as part of their assessment of preparations for the August 15 election.
Responding to questions on the safety and freedom of journalists to cover the election, Aboderin said there had been no reported intimidation of journalists in the days leading to the poll, but expressed fears that the situation could change on election day.
He said, “Preceding the election, there is no problem. We have not been having problems. We have not recorded any intimidation of journalists as of today.”
According to him, the major concern was what could happen when voting begins, particularly as some media organisations had already been labelled as sympathetic to either the government or opposition.
He said, “On election day, we are anxious because we have heard that they are tagging some stations as belonging either to the opposition or to the government. The fear is there. Will they allow such media outfits to do their job without harassment or intimidation?”
Aboderin added that journalists could face harassment or have their equipment seized while attempting to document electoral incidents.
He said journalists were particularly vulnerable because of their visibility during elections and their responsibility to report incidents that could expose attempts to manipulate the process.
Speaking on the preparedness of journalists, the chairman said the union had collaborated with civil society organisations to train its members on professional election reporting, fact-checking and avoiding sensationalism.
“We have been engaging and collaborating with several non-governmental organisations and CSOs to refresh our members on what is expected of them in the coverage of the election, to be professional, to say it as it is and not to sensationalise any incident,”he said.
The chairman identified security as the union’s ‘major concern’ urging security agencies, particularly the police, to remain neutral throughout the election.
“The general security of the election lies with the police. It is important for the police to give equal rights to everyone and every political party, not to be biased,”he said
The NUJ also expressed concern about alleged incidents of violence in the state, saying the frequency of such incidents had overshadowed discussions around candidates’ policies, programmes and campaign promises.
The chairman said investigations into killings and other violent incidents would be difficult for journalists to conclusively establish without credible information from security agencies.
“When it comes to reportage of violence and events like that, it is the police that can come out with adequate information and data on those responsible for it,”Aboderin said
He, however, alleged that claims by security agencies that some incidents were cult-related had sometimes conflicted with what residents believed were politically motivated attacks.
The NUJ chairman also raised concerns over the growing influence of social media on election reporting, saying unverified information was increasingly undermining professional journalism.
“The advent of social media has caused a lot of disruption in the atmosphere. People just go on social media and post unverified information, and it is affecting the journalism profession in Nigeria,”he added.
He alleged that some political parties had social media operatives who disseminated reports favourable to their sponsors, making it difficult for members of the public to distinguish between professional journalism and politically motivated content.
The chairman disclosed that about 149 media outlets had registered to cover the Osun governorship election, expressing hope that journalists from within and outside the state would uphold professional standards.
He said, “We hope they will also be professionals as well. We hope their conscience will always work for them, the truth will always prevail, and we hope so many of them who are there to cover the election will be truthful in their reportage of events on Saturday.”
On possible flashpoints, the NUJ chairman identified areas including Ilesa, Ikire, Ede, Osogbo and Ila as locations requiring close monitoring because of their political significance and previous incidents of violence.
He urged election observers to visit different parts of the state and witness developments firsthand.
Comrade Aboderin also appealed to security agencies to protect journalists and voters, stressing that fear could discourage citizens from coming out to exercise their franchise.
He said, “If there is no security in the conduct of the election, people won’t come out to exercise their franchise. They will be afraid to come out to vote.”
The IRI observers are expected to continue their engagements with stakeholders across the state and hold a press conference on Monday to present their observations from the election.
The NUJ expressed hope for an inclusive, transparent, peaceful and credible election devoid of intimidation and harassment.