As Nigeria prepares for the forthcoming general elections in 2019, the United States has stressed the need for free, fair and credible polls.
Speaking at a two-day training workshops on election reporting, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, said the whole world is looking up to Nigeria for a credible exercise.
The event, organised by the US Embassy in Abuja, was put together for select political reporters from multiple media platforms: print, broadcast, online and mobile platforms.
Symington said: “Nigeria is very important. Nigeria is a beacon of hope not only in West Africa but in Africa and the whole world. What happens to Nigeria will affect West Africa, Africa and the
whole world”.
The US diplomat stressed the need for media houses to remain agenda setters rather than allow politicians determine the narrative.
He emphasised that reporters should serve as the ‘sacred conduit connecting’ government and the governed.
In his presentation, award-winning journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, said the media still have huge influence over the people, hence the need for media organisations to
be accurate, maintain fairness and balance and be responsible.
The guest speaker stressed the need for political reporters to desist from defamation, derivative reporting, malicious reporting as well as non-conflict sensitive reporting.