The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on journalists, media organisations and social media analysts to maintain ethical and professional standards in election reporting, warning that misinformation, disinformation and inflammatory political narratives could erode public confidence and endanger peaceful elections in 2027.

The appeal was made at a media engagement forum held at Hotel Sylvia, Enugu, themed “Ethical and Professional Standards in Election Reporting Ahead of the 2027 General Elections.” The event was organised for members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Institute of Social Media Analysts (NISMA), the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and other media executives.

Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu, represented the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna. He described the media as a strategic partner in the electoral process and a bridge between the Commission and the electorate, through information dissemination, voter education, public enlightenment and accountability.

Chukwu cautioned journalists against publishing unverified reports, especially on election results, incidents at polling units, electoral materials and technological processes. He stressed that speculation should never be presented as fact.

He urged the media to prioritise voter education, particularly on Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, voter accreditation, voting procedures, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation. He also called for inclusive coverage that adequately represents women, young people and persons with disabilities.

In his opening remarks, delivered by the REC, Haruna said public confidence in elections depends largely on the credibility and accuracy of information available to citizens.

He warned against amplifying inflammatory slogans such as “rig and die,” describing them as dangerous to the safety of electoral officials, voters, party agents and observers. He urged journalists to report such developments responsibly and with context, and encouraged political stakeholders to use lawful channels to address electoral grievances.

The National Commissioner also asked media organisations to support voter education, investigate and expose vote buying, and help combat disinformation, including deepfakes and fake social media accounts.

Presenting the forum’s objectives on behalf of the Director, Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, Deputy Director for Information and Publicity Wilfred Ifogah said the engagement was designed to strengthen collaboration between INEC and media practitioners ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

He said the forum aimed to promote a shared understanding of ethical election reporting, including accuracy, fairness, impartiality and verification, while briefing participants on the Electoral Act 2026 and INEC’s technological innovations, particularly BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). It would also help counter misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, and mobilise support for voter education, higher turnout, PVC collection and the fight against vote buying.

Ifogah urged participants to return to their newsrooms as ambassadors of accurate and responsible reporting. He encouraged media organisations to set up dedicated election desks, strengthen editorial guidelines and introduce fact-checking mechanisms before the 2027 electoral cycle. He also asked journalists and analysts to verify election information through INEC’s official channels, avoid announcing results before official declaration by Returning Officers, and refrain from amplifying inflammatory or violent slogans.

Chairman of the NUJ Enugu State Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, welcomed INEC and participants to the state and thanked the Commission for choosing Enugu as host.

Ogbuka acknowledged the existing mistrust surrounding INEC and called on journalists to help disseminate accurate information and balanced narratives about its activities. He also urged the Commission to sustain its training and capacity-building programmes for journalists so they are well equipped for their duties.

The forum featured presentations by the Heads of the Legal, Information and Communication Technology/Voter Registration (ICT/VR), and Electoral Operations (EOPs) departments. They covered the legal, technological and operational aspects of the electoral process, as part of INEC’s efforts to deepen journalists’ understanding of the Electoral Act 2026, electoral technology and election administration procedures.

In interactive sessions, participants sought clarifications, engaged the resource persons and made contributions on electoral administration, technology, legal provisions and election-day operations. Media stakeholders also voiced concerns and made recommendations for improving the relationship between the Commission and the press.