Former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah; immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe; and other prominent Nigerians are expected to speak at the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu on September 24 and 25.

The annual conference, the flagship gathering of the Guild, will hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, and is expected to attract more than 500 editors from across the country, as well as other distinguished guests and stakeholders.

The conference comes ahead of the 2027 general elections and will focus extensively on the role of the media in protecting democracy, electoral integrity, public trust and national stability.

A statement by the President and General Secretary of the Guild, Eze Anaba and Onuoha Ukeh, respectively, said the theme of the conference is “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” while the sub-theme is “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”

His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, will chair the conference.

Cardinal Onaiyekan will deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony on September 24 at 2pm.

Also speaking on the first day will be Prof. Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, who will examine “Public Trust, Electoral Justice and Democratic Stability.”

Governor Mbah is also scheduled to address the gathering, a statement signed by Eze Anaba and Onuoha Ukeh, president and general secretary respectively, said.

The first day will also feature a joint presentation by the Ombudsman and Public Protector of ThisDay Newspapers, Kayode Komolafe, and veteran journalist and civil rights campaigner, Owei Lakemfa, on “Reporting Terrorism Without Becoming a Tool for Terrorists.”

The second day will feature a presentation by Osigwe at 9am on “Election Petitions in the Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS and the Courts.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, Prof. Chinyere Okunna, will speak on “Neutrality, Professionalism and Election Security in Democratic Governance.”

Founder and Chief Medical Director of Save A Life Hospital, Port Harcourt, Dr Richard Okoye, will address the often-overlooked personal challenges faced by journalists in a presentation titled “The Human Side of Journalism: Managing Stress, Deadlines and Personal Wellbeing.”

Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States, Prof. Farooq A. Kperogi, will examine the conference sub-theme on artificial intelligence and disinformation, focusing on how journalists can detect and debunk false information before, during and after elections.

The second day will also feature an Executive Session at 12:30pm, during which editors will engage governors, political party leaders and heads of government parastatals on issues of national importance.

According to the Guild, the conference will provide an opportunity for editors and other stakeholders to interrogate some of the major challenges confronting democracy and examine pathways for strengthening democratic governance and nation-building through responsible and responsive journalism.

The NGE said the discussions would also focus on the responsibility of the media to safeguard credible elections, rebuild public trust and strengthen democratic values, particularly at a time when artificial intelligence and digital platforms are making the spread of misinformation and disinformation increasingly difficult to detect.

The Guild said the choice of the conference theme reflects the growing need for the media to remain vigilant and professionally grounded as Nigeria approaches another major electoral cycle.

It added that the gathering would bring together media leaders, legal experts, academics, political actors, public officials and other stakeholders to examine the intersection between journalism, technology and democratic governance. (The Sun)

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