The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it would engage the media as a critical partner to ensure voter sensitisation and sustain democracy in the country.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC Lagos, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, disclosed this on Friday during a media workshop organised by the Taipei Nigerian office in Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
Agbaje, who was represented by the Director of Voter Education, INEC Lagos, Mrs Adenike Tadeshe, added that INEC planned to leverage technology, accessibility, and reliability in order to foster transparency, accountability, and level playing field for all stakeholders all through the electoral processes and election cycles.
He said, “The fourth estate of the realm is the media and its roles (duties, functions, and responsibilities) towards the sustenance of our nascent democratic experience in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised.
“INEC as the statutory organisation saddled with the responsibilities of conducting elections in the country has engaged the media as a critical partner and stakeholder in order to give the widest audience the necessary voter awareness, sensitisation, and programmes designed by the commission to herald a new administration into elective positions come 2023.
“The commission has maintained a continuous engagement of all critical stakeholders and partners particularly the media at all levels (international, national, state, local, and grassroots) towards the achievement of free, fair, credible, and transparent election because the media has a significant and essential role to play for the sustenance and consolidation of democracy and good governance.”
