By Favour Goodness
Stakeholders and experts in the media have appealed to journalists covering Anambra state governorship electioneering process to give equitable opportunities to all persons and parties in the state.
They made the appeal at a workshop organised by European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria and Institute for Media and Society held in Awka Anambra state.
The experts drawn from across media house,academics and research institutes said that in a democratic setting media should be able to cover election fairly ,equitably and conclusively without being bias .
Speaking at the workshop , the Executive Director of International Press Centre, Lagos Dr. Lanre Arogundade said the media is critical to credible election , noting that practitioners should strive hard to give equitable coverage to all political parties and their political activities.
He also stated that media should give adequate attentions, especially to people with disabilities ,women and youths to enable them participate actively in elections .
Arogundade said that media should ensure equitable allocation of time for all parties in person in the election. While Mr. Akin Akingbulu , of the Institute of Media and Society said that media should not neglect any party or person because of his /her status in covering election .
He also called on the media to be serious in the application of self censorship in the election coverage by giving every person fair opportunity of presenting his/her programmes to the public.
According to him, the media should avoid the usage of language that is capable of creating crisis in the election. He said that even if a politician made a hate statement that is capable of creating tension media should ignore it in reporting.
While Prof. Stella Okunna of the Department of Mass Communication , Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka called on the media to give more attention to women and youth in the politics.
According to her, there is need for more voters education in the state to enable women in rural area to participate in the electioneering process.
