By HENRY OLADELE

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen trust and transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

GOCOP President, Mr Danlami Nmodu mni, made the call at the Guild’s 10th Annual Conference on Thursday in Lagos.

The conference has the theme, “2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities.”

Nmodu said credible elections required collective responsibility among INEC, political parties, the media, government and citizens.

He urged politicians to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians and journalists to report facts fairly while holding government and opposition accountable.

“Our duty as journalists is to put the spotlight on those in government as well as the opposition. We must report facts and be fair and balanced,” he said.

Nmodu also urged the government to tackle insecurity, enhance peace and support economic activities to create opportunities for Nigerians to work and invest.

He called for continued partnership between government, GOCOP and the wider Nigerian press to protect media practitioners and promote credible journalism.

Nmodu said the conference theme represented the Guild’s contribution to deepening democracy as Nigeria prepared for another general election.

In his keynote address, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, represented by the Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami, said the commission had intensified preparations for the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said INEC had undertaken structural, technological and logistical reforms to strengthen electoral administration and public confidence ahead of the polls.

He said the commission had completed three phases of continuous voter registration, capturing more than 10.6 million new voters.

According to him, the voter register had reached 103 million registered citizens following completion of the registration and data-synchronisation processes.

He announced that nationwide collection of newly printed Permanent Voter Cards would begin on Friday, Oct. 9.

He urged GOCOP members and other online publishers to educate and mobilise registered voters to collect their cards at designated centres.

Amupitan said INEC had also upgraded the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and commenced nationwide audits to ensure the devices were ready for deployment.

He said enhanced result-transmission technology would digitise polling-unit results immediately after counting and transmit them to the public viewing platform.

The INEC chairman also said the commission had deployed cybersecurity measures, including artificial intelligence auditing tools and firewalls, to protect electoral databases.

He said early procurement of non-sensitive materials and acquisition of operational vehicles were part of measures to prevent logistical challenges during the elections.

Amupitan urged online publishers to resist fake news, unverified leaks, sensational reports, clickbait and artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes capable of undermining public confidence.

“Speed must never surpass accuracy. Being fast with a false story is a costly failure; being accurate with a verified fact is public service,” he said.

He also stressed that only constitutionally authorised returning officers could officially declare election results.

He said other persons or organisations could only offer opinions or projections on election outcomes.

“Opinion is free, but facts are sacred,” Amupitan said.

He appealed to media organisations to collaborate with INEC on fact verification and public enlightenment throughout the electoral process.

Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, said the Guild’s objective was not to criticise INEC but to help it deliver credible, transparent and free elections.

Agbakoba described Nigerians as “shareholders” in the country’s democratic process and urged voters to participate actively rather than treating election day as a holiday.

He identified the rising cost of living as a major issue that should receive attention during the 2027 election campaign.

Agbakoba also urged presidential candidates to clearly explain their positions on fuel pricing, crude oil and subsidy policies before seeking voters’ support.

He challenged GOCOP to move beyond reporting political defections and focus more on policies affecting Nigerians’ welfare.

The chairman further raised a legal question over whether media organisations could publish exit polls or election projections without violating provisions of the Electoral Act.

He said the matter required proper legal interpretation, particularly regarding the relationship between the constitutional right to receive and impart information and electoral laws.

Agbakoba said the issue should be subjected to legal scrutiny as part of efforts to promote trust, transparency and shared responsibility in the electoral process.

The two-day conference, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos, brought together online publishers, media stakeholders and other participants to discuss Nigeria’s 2027 elections. (NAN)

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