The Executive Director, International Press Centre, Ogba, Lagos, Mr. Lanre Arogundade has said that the task of building trust in Nigeria’s electoral process remained a collective responsibility.
He made this assertion in his welcome address at a recent IPC organized and concluded Multi-Stakeholders’ Dialogue On Rebuilding Trust In The Electoral Process, Institutions and Elections, funded by the European Union under Support To Democratic Governance In Nigeria Programme Phase II.
Below is Arogundade’s welcome speech at the event:
Welcome speech by Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of International Press
Centre at a One-day Multi-stakeholders Dialogue on Rebuilding Trust in the Electoral
Processes, Institutions and Elections, held on March 25, 2024 at Raddisson Blu Hotel,
Ikeja, Lagos.
The International Press Centre (IPC) hosts this public forum with great delight and
expectation that the thoughts and perspectives will help shape a better future for our electoral
processes and elections.
Perception-wise, misconception-wise, or reality-wise, it cannot be denied that some
contentious issues arising from the 2023 elections have created mistrust among Nigerians.
It’s in the public domain that the elections met with some unexpected challenges which
ordinarily shouldn’t overshadow its significant milestones including the meticulous
preparation and the use of technology for voting via BVAS which remain highly commendable.
*Open the link below to view:
Trust in electoral process only established by positive impacts on human lives- Prof. Ibeanu.
https://youtu.be/qFRDYoyLwSQ?si=3hT7w3TMda3UlVhW
As in journalism, bad news spreads faster than good news. Some of those challenges have
elicited local and international observations including the one led by the European Union,
Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM), which highlighted elements of waning public
confidence and trust in the electoral process.
Furthermore, IPC’s media monitoring activity of 20 print/online media and INEC social
media platforms over the past 18 months also reveals elements of negative perception by
some citizens about the electoral processes and outcomes; though it has been argued that
some of the negatives appeared to have been exaggerated. This forum serves as a strategic
response to the foregoing. It is underscored by the recognition that without rebuilding trust, it
might be difficult to get the electoral process right in the next round of off-cycle governorship
elections (Edo, Ondo and Anambra States), and in the larger 2027 general elections.
Open the link below to view:
Deprived Nigerians highly prone to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder- Prof Albert.
https://youtu.be/Mca_uMI5txs?si=GBd48FZspHhgxZbJ
As Frank Sonnenberg is quoted to have said, “Trust is like blood pressure. It’s silent, vital to
good health, and if abused, it can be deadly”. The theme of this forum has, therefore, been
purposively framed to reflect IPC’s concern that enough searchlight is often not beamed on
the conduct of some other key players in the electoral process whenever elections are being
previewed or reviewed.
Thus, among the questions that should agitate us as media and civil society organisations, as
we engage in this deliberation today are: Have we done enough to hold important
stakeholders like the government, the political parties, the candidates, the security and law
enforcement agencies, etc, accountable for their actions at elections in addition to INEC? If
we agree that we haven’t, then what can we do better? Have we as media and civil society
organisations also done enough to make ourselves accountable to society in the course of
performing our electoral duties?
Since the overall objective of Component 4 (Support to media) of the European Union
Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria-Phase 2 (EUSDGN II) project, the
implementation of which IPC leads is that the media should be Fair, Accurate, Ethical and
Inclusive in the Coverage and Reportage of Electoral Processes and Elections, let me conclude by asking this other question: Are we as journalists doing enough to live up to the
basics of social responsibility by being factually accurate, conflict-sensitive and setting
citizens’ agenda in reporting the elections?
I posit in this welcome address that the task of building trust in the electoral process is a
collective responsibility.
I warmly welcome you all and thank the European Union for the enabling funding support for
this forum.
Lanre Arogundade
March 25, 2024.