The Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) has tasked journalists reporting on the Anambra Governorship election to be guided by the Electoral Act of their reportage.
INEC Head of Authorized Division in Anambra, Mrs Olachi Nwugo, gave the recommendation in an interview with the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Thursday.
She acknowledged that the media had an indispensable constitutional function beneath Part 22 of the 1999 Structure, serving because the watchdog of society, which was strengthened by the Electoral Act.
Nwugo stated that it was essential for the media to know the interaction between the hard-copy Kind EC8A and the INEC Outcome Viewing Portal (IReV)-uploaded picture.
“EC8A stays the legally main doc for the declaration of outcomes.
“The IReV-uploaded picture is a robust verification device that gives real-time transparency and a mechanism to resolve disputes at collation, considerably lowering the inducement for outcome manipulation,” she stated.
In response to her, for the Anambra Governorship Election, the media is a elementary accomplice in maximising the Act’s meant advantages.
“The media’s correct, well timed, and neutral reporting should comply with a strong understanding of these authorized provisions and technological processes, and guarantee that the voters stays knowledgeable, and shield the integrity of the method.
“We urge you to leverage the transparency of the IReV platform to counter disinformation and maintain all actors accountable to the letter and the spirit of the Electoral Act 2022,” she stated.
She famous that the Electoral Act 2022 had supplied a strong authorized structure for a clear and credible election.
Nwugo disclosed that the deployment of expertise, notably the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation and the IReV for outcomes switch and verification, had basically altered Nigeria’s electoral panorama for the higher.
She famous that the function of the media, as the first supply of data and accountability, required a deep data of the authorized framework that supported the electoral course of.
In response to her, any media home that prematurely declares a outcome based mostly on unverified, non-IReV information faces an enormous danger.
Nwugo suggested the media to handle its relevance and, on the similar time, overcome the authorized dangers related to Part 60(5) and 64 of the electoral course of.
She suggested that the media ought to concentrate on the variations between voided votes, over-voting, margin of lead, and inconclusive elections, as outlined within the Electoral Act.
She urged these overlaying the election to put on the tag supplied by INEC to keep away from being stopped by safety brokers.
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