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By Egwaoje Amarachi Linda
Journalists have been warned against announcing election results while on monitoring assignments in the 2023 general election.
The warning was handed down by the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Edo State office, Mr. Timidii Warioweri at a media summit organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ) Edo State Council..
Mr. Timidi Wariowei, in charge of Voter's Education, disclosed this during a Media and Stakeholders Summit with the theme: Roadmap to Credible, Transparent and Peaceful Election in Edo State, organized by the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
According to him, INEC through their own determine efforts to make elections seamless in the state has created more polling units, increasing it from 2,627 to 4,519.
He further appealed to Journalists in the state to cooperate with the commission to ensure peaceful and credible elections in the state just as he asked them to desist from the temptation of being the ones to announce election results while on election monitoring exercise. Also, to adhere to the laid down guidelines before it's official announcement by the Commission.
" Journalist can quote a figure being displayed by INEC officials at the polling units but cannot declare any candidates winner noting that it is the sole responsibility of INEC to do that."
Speaking further, he revealed that a total of 52, 013 persons registered for the just concluded Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise that took place between the month of June 2021and January 2022 in the state while 32, 465 were successful, 19,598 was invalid voters Registaration due to double registrations amounting to 37 percent of the entire exercise.
Explaining further, he said the number dropped after being subjected to Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) where it was discovered that some individuals registered twice and that the figure was one of the least compared to other states where similar thing was done.
In his own submission, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, represented by ACP, Assistant Commisioner of Police Operation, Edo Command, James Chu, said citizens of the state must check their excesses and warned those who may likely act in a way contrary to what the constitution stipulates to be careful to avoid the law been taken into their hands, rather to plan towards the forthcoming elections adding that the country belongs us and thus must not set it on fire by their actions.
Speaking also, President of the NUJ, Comrade Chris Isiguzo, who was represented by Mrs Bimbo Oyetunde, GM of the Benin Centre of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria(FRCN), gave kudos to the Edo Council of the Union for being the first to organise such a useful programme. He charged reporters to operate within the framework of the electoral law.
Earlier, The State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Festus Alenkhe urged Journalists to be guided by the Electoral Acts and avoid any acts that will jeopardize the country.
Alenkhe, also called on the Law Enforcement Agencies to see Journalists as partners in progress and should not brutalize them while doing their job as the union has an internal mechanism in handling any Journalists that is found wanting.
Highlight of the programme attended by Party Officials, Officials of Security Agencies, Religious Leaders, Civil Society Organisations, Members of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and representatives of the Benin Palace, Journalist among others, was the unveiling of NUJ Democracy Hotline TV which Comrade Alenkhe said it's meant to give political office seekers an avenue to make known their mission and vision at no extra charge.
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