Ahead of the forthcoming 2015 general elections, a German-based foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), has initiated a monthly roundtable to serve as interface between Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media.
The forum, according to the foundation, is aimed at strengthening relations between the duo towards free and fair elections in the country.
The first roundtable which took place yesterday in Abuja was attended by the heads of various CSOs in Abuja as well as editors and reporters from different media organizations.
It featured intense and fruitful discussions between both groups.
Speaking from the viewpoint of the CSOs on the roundtable, Mr Lazarus Apir the Programme Manager of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG); a coalition of human rights organisations, NGOs and CSOs promoting credible elections in Nigeria, said: “If we are able to come up with an effective platform on which the CSOs and the Media work closely and harmoniously in monitoring the conduct of elections as well as electoral reform, then there is no way the outcome of the election would be manipulated.”
He then urged the media against unbalanced reportage by ensuring they include the views of all necessary stakeholders, including the CSOs while reporting election matters.
While speaking on the perspective of the media, Political Editor, Blueprint Newspaper , Abdurrahman Abdurrauf, noted that the media had, more than any other institution, contributed to Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
