The Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) in Kogi State, Dr. Hale Gabriel Longpet, has cautioned political actors against do-or-die elections and urged them to convince the people of what they want to do differently
Dr Hale made the remarks on Tuesday at an interaction with the Kogi Journalists at a media training organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) with the support of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in NigeriaEUSDGN) held at Treasures Suites & Conferences, Abuja.
He also appealed to political actors in the state to make sure that the forthcoming November 11 governorship election is free and fair.
He mentioned that the media has a greater responsibility in triggering change in the forthcoming November Governorship Election in the state and called on the media to provide a balanced and professional report that would make the election credible.
He disclosed further that the development of a good democratic system is usually triggered by the media and solicited the support of the media in making the Kogi State election credible.
He urged the media to bring to the attention of the political parties and electorate what is required of them for a peaceful and credible election.
While pointing out that the introduction of technology and the support of the media helped in stemming the tide of violence in the 2023 General Election, she assured that the election results in the forthcoming November Governorship Election will be transmitted electronically to IREV and in real-time.
The Kogi INEC REC attributed the lapses to transmitting the Presidential Election results to IREV and in real-time to hitches from hackers and the inability of some ad-hoc staff engaged by INEC in the conduct of the Governorship Election to understand the process.
The Kogi REC said he has enjoyed a tremendous relationship with the media in Kogi State and urged the media to help educate political parties on the dos and don’ts in the forthcoming November Election.
Dr Longpet said the law allows political parties the right to media space, cautioned against molestation that would shrink the media space, and expressed worries about reports about shrinking the media space.
He urged the media to critically examine and bring the issues of the Governorship election to the front burner, lamented that the election in the State has always had a negative perception, and appealed to the media to help in changing the perception and the narratives.
While assuring a credible Governorship Election with the support of all stakeholders, the Kogi REC called on political parties to educate their supporters on expectations and cautioned against incitement and the use of foul language.
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