● IPC Dialogue: Journalists Charged to Promote Peaceful, Credible Osun Election
● Osun Election: Experts Urge Media to Educate Voters on Candidates and Manifestos.
In the two-day Media and Election Stakeholders' Dialogue/Interaction on Credible Polls in Osun State which was organized by the International Press Center (ICP) in Osogbo on Wednesday 8th of July, journalists have been advised to support issue-based reporting in the run-up to the Osun State governorship election on August 15, 2026, which is only 38 days away.
Stella Nwofia, IPC Programme Officer, stated at the training that the workshop was organized to promote democratic governance in the state and was sponsored by the European Union through the EU-SDGN II, Component 4: Support to Media.
Dr. Rasheed Adebiyi, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Fountain University, Osogbo, advised journalists to concentrate on topics that impact voters.
He urged journalists to educate voters about political party manifestos and candidates, emphasizing that such information would allow voters to make educated selections.
Additionally, Adebiyi called for journalists to go beyond what he called the "political economy of news" by examining topics that have a direct impact on the well-being of the populace.
Media should serve the public interest and promote good governance, rather than being motivated purely by profit, he said.
He urged on the media to evaluate the promises, track records and policy ideas of political parties and their candidates, saying that agenda-setting remains one of the media’s most essential contributions to democratic administration.
“I charge you to prioritise issue-based reporting. The content you publish will go a long way in helping voters make informed choices. Undertake stories on good governance, governance failures, policy implementation and long-term development priorities.
“Don’t let this election in Osun be like that of Ekiti, where many voters did not know the candidates challenging the eventual winner. Lead the public into deeper thinking about those seeking elective office,” he said.
Mr. Taiwo Obe (T.O), Director of Journalism Clinic, also spoke. He encouraged reporters to use artificial intelligence and digital tools to enhance the caliber of their reporting and to strengthen their critical thinking skills, bridge the information gap for the public and uphold professionalism throughout the election period.
Additionally, Obe counseled reporters to put their own safety first when covering the polls, fight false information and fake news, and work with other stakeholders to promote genuine and peaceful elections.
In his keynote, T.O made this known to the jounalist that
"Reason to do a training is to rekindle what was learnt or way of relearning things every day. The business of journalism is to find answers to questions until there are no further questions. In case of reporting election coverage, journalists need to go beyond straight reporting and set agendas."
