*tasks journalists on ensuring free, fair polls
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani has charged that the 2023 general elections should be a total change from the past elections in Nigeria.
Rafsanjani stated this at a one-day training for journalists tagged ” Prioritizing Anti-Corruption and Accountability issues during the upcoming 2023 elections” held at BON Nest Hotel, old Bodija Ibadan
Speaking through the CISLAC Director of Legal, Barrister Adesina Oke, he tasked journalists to this time around give priority to issues bothering on corruption and accountability in their reportage as the general election is fast approaching.
According to Rafsanjani, journalists have a critical role to play in ensuring free and fair polls during the 2023 general elections in ensuring that the coming elections are free, fair and generally acceptable.
The CISLAC Executive Director noted that with the reportage by the journalists , the media can make or mar as they often mode the public opinions through what the people read or hear from the newspapers as well as from the electronics media.
He then tasked journalists to continue to beam their searchlights on the Executive, the Legislative and Judiciary arms of government as a reportage based on total falsehood is capable of igniting issues that can destroy the coming election.
“Journalists play critical role in the development of any nation. It is the journalists that help us to disseminate information to the public and help to form opinion which can make or mar,” he said.
The CISLAC Executive Director added, “If the information is false, it can destroy the nation, but if it is true, it can help to shape the nation. The vital role of journalists cannot be over emphasised. All of you here are representatives of various media organisations in the country.”
“This programme is a brainstorming on the way forward not a training because if you have not been trained, you will not be here. We want you to prioritise issues of anti-corruption and accountability as we approach the 2023 general elections. This is to ensure free and fair elections. The “aim of this brainstorming is to let you know that you have critical role to play in ensuring accountability during the elections”.
Oyo state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhaji Ademola Babalola in his remarks said Oyo NUJ is ready to partner with CISLAC towards ensuring free and fair in the state in the 2023 general elections.
Alhaji Babalola while intimating CISLAC that Oyo NUJ has enough facilities capable of housing the training maintained that the NUJ and journalists across Oyo state are committed into making the 2023 general elections a successful exercise.
