Enugu|•L-R Prof Pat Utomi; Prof Chinyere Okunna and Eze Anaba President Nigerian Guild of Editors at the 22nd All Nigerian Editors Conference in Enugu. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke

Nigerian editors have been urged to protect the credibility of the ballot and help safeguard democracy as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The call was made by Eze Anaba, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Editor of Vanguard Newspaper, in his welcome address at the 22nd Annual All Nigerian Editors Conference, which opened today in Enugu.
The conference is themed, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”
Anaba said the media, alongside other critical institutions, had a responsibility to nurture democracy by ensuring that voters were adequately informed and that electoral outcomes reflected the choices of the people.

According to him, the ballot can only fulfil its democratic purpose when voters have access to credible information and are able to make their choices freely, without intimidation or undue influence.

He urged editors and journalists to uphold verification, independence, accuracy, fairness, accountability and courage, particularly in an era of social media, artificial intelligence, deepfakes and the rapid spread of misinformation.

“As editors, we must remain above board in an increasingly polarised environment. We must not become agents of disorder. Neither should we display contradictory tendencies that cause the citizenry to question our credibility,” Anaba said.

He stressed that the media’s overarching responsibility was to serve the public good and help ensure that government derived its legitimacy from the consent of the people.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered the removal of illegal advertisements from the rehabilitated First Niger Bridge and their replacement with pictures of President Bola Tinubu, saying the display would recognise the President’s work on infrastructure.

Umahi gave the directive during an inspection of ongoing rehabilitation works on the bridge linking Anambra and Delta states.

He said the bridge was expected to reopen to motorists next week, subject to the completion of critical structural work.

“Once we are done with work on this bridge, I want all the illegal adverts on this bridge removed. Anyone who wants to advertise should apply to the Ministry of Works. For now, the bridge will be decorated with the pictures of President Tinubu,” Umahi said.

“The President has worked so hard and we need to reward his hard work by decorating this bridge with his pictures.”

Enugu|•L-R Prof Pat Utomi; Prof Chinyere Okunna and Eze Anaba President Nigerian Guild of Editors at the 22nd All Nigerian Editors Conference in Enugu. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke

The 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) organized by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, opened today in Enugu.

The two-day conference, which is the flagship annual gathering of the Guild, is being held at The Dome, International Conference Centre, Opara Square Road, Enugu, beginning at 2p.m and continue on Friday, September 25.

In a statement by the President and General Secretary of the NGE, Eze Anaba and Onuoha Ukeh, respectively, the Guild said that Vice President Kashim Shettima would address editors and other participants at the event.

The conference has the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” as well as the sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”

The Vice President is also expected to speak on other issues relating to democracy, elections, press freedom and national development.

The statement said Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, would also address the conference.

More than 500 editors from across the country, alongside government officials, academics, civil society representatives and other stakeholders, are expected to attend the conference, which will focus on critical national and global issues with significant social, economic and political implications.

The Guild said His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, would chair the conference, while former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, would deliver the keynote address.