Journalists Urged to Focus on Citizens' Needs Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Director of UNIZIK FM at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Ifeoma Dunu, has called on Nigerian journalists to stop just covering political campaigns. She wants them to focus more on accountability journalism as the 2027 general elections approach.

UNIZIK is a federal university in Anambra State, also known as UNIZIK, and UNIZIK FM serves mainly journalism students.

Professor Dunu made this statement on Thursday during a media workshop in Enugu. The workshop lasted two days and was organized by the International Press Centre (IPC), with support from the European Union.

She urged media practitioners to prioritize public accountability, citizens’ welfare, and careful fact-checking in their election coverage. Instead of just reporting what politicians say, they should look into what politicians do.

Dunu emphasized that the upcoming elections give the media a big job. They need to encourage democratic participation, promote accountability, and make sure citizens can access trustworthy electoral information.

She cautioned journalists against concentrating too much on political parties, defections, rallies, endorsements, and competitions among candidates.

"Effective election journalism must move beyond reporting what politicians say to investigating what they do, verifying what they claim, and establishing how their decisions affect citizens’ lives," she said.

She added that journalists should closely compare political promises with the available evidence, budgets, and how well those promises are carried out. This should take priority over just listening to campaign speeches.

"The media remains agenda-setters. Therefore, there’s a need to focus on the priority concerns of the people rather than the promises of politicians at campaign rallies.

"So, what people identified as their needs should matter to journalists more than what politicians are promising them," she explained.

In his talk, Olusola Oludiran, a fact-checker with the IPC, educated journalists about fact-checking and using digital tools in journalism.

Mr Oludiran highlighted the need for verification and responsible journalism, especially with the rise of misinformation and content generated by artificial intelligence.

Earlier, Lanre Arogundade, the IPC executive director, said the media must make sure citizens’ voices are heard in the democratic process. They should also check political promises and hold public officials accountable.

"However, the effectiveness of this responsibility depends significantly on the quality of electoral reporting.

"An election period filled with sensationalism, unverified claims, inflammatory rhetoric, and the unchecked spread of misinformation can weaken public confidence, deepen social divisions, and harm democratic institutions," Mr Arogundade stated.

He continued, "On the other hand, a media environment that focuses on accuracy, fairness, verification, conflict-sensitive reporting, and accountability can build public trust and help ensure peaceful, credible, and inclusive elections."

Arogundade also warned that while digital platforms have increased information sharing and public participation, they also speed up the spread of misinformation, manipulated content, hate speech, and divisive narratives.

"The media must, therefore, strengthen its verification skills, be careful before publishing politically sensitive information, and resist the pressure to prioritize speed over accuracy.

"In this regard, fact-checking and verification should not be treated as optional additions to journalism. They must be integral to responsible electoral reporting," he concluded.