Election: Ondo NUJ Condemns INEC Media Accreditation

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ondo State Council has condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, accreditation of media practitioners for the coverage of the 2023 general elections.

The State Chairman of the Union, Leke Adegbite stated this while receiving members of the International observers to the state on Friday.

Adegbite while expressing displeasure over the media accreditation, noted that media was critical in covering elections.

He stated that centralising the accreditation exercise was a way of shutting out or intending to shut out some media organisations.

“It was done as if journalists are not part of the elections. We are doing them a favour and many journalists would have to move around without accreditation cards.

“We pray we do not have any issue of journalists’ harassment due to INEC’s failure in accreditation and INEC should be held responsible if there is any case of harassment of journalists,” he said.

He commended the efforts of the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on his disposition to ensure a credible and peaceful election.

“Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is commended because most sitting governor wants their political party to have an edge over other parties, but there is peace in the state as he gave a level playing ground to all the political parties ahead of the election.”

Adegbite also expressed satisfaction and happiness with the way politicians in the state have been conducting themselves, which he stated is most commendable.

Earlier, the leader of the joint mission International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) Mr Rahul Srivastava, who is from the USA said they were in the state to monitor the electoral activities of the general elections.

Other members of the team include a member of the Senegalese Parliament, from Senegal, Marieme Soda Ndiaye, and a field officer, Mr. Jonathan Obatola.

Dominica Nwabufo