The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Akwa Ibom State Council, Elder Patrick Albert has stressed the need for members to remain on the ethical path to exhibit good professional conduct while covering the ongoing 2015 general elections.
Albert gave the charge in Uyo while fielding questions from newsmen over the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The State NUJ boss said it was interesting to see the enthusiasm among voters which led to massive turnout across the three Senatorial Districts in the State.
“I led a convoy of journalists to cover many polling units across the State and we witnessed large turnout of voters. The people were quite eager to exercise their civic duties and they did so orderly and peacefully,” he added.
“The Card Reader went well in some areas but defaulted in some polling units. Being a new innovation, it is going to be improved upon with time. We are yet to master and perfect it. And it will take time to do so. However, the election was generally peaceful,” he stated.
On why it took INEC more than two days to announce the outcome of the election, the NUJ Chairman attributed it to technical reasons – the electoral processes which were largely manual; voter’s verification and authentication, voting and then collation and cases of complaints before final announcement.
Evaluating the performances of INEC so far, Albert went down memory lane saying that there have been improvements compared to the 1959 parliamentary elections, the 1964, 1979, 1983, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and the ongoing 2015 general elections.
He said the country has come a long way and is moving out of turmoil usually associated within the period.
According to him, the sum total of cases recorded in this regard cannot be compared to those in the past especially when the country first emerged as an independent nation.
He observed that INEC has brought in some level of expertise and improvement in the electoral process to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
With the opposition party – the All Progressive Congress being declared the winner of the presidential election, the NUJ Chairman said the development was an indication that our democracy was deepening.
“We are seeing the emergence of a robust and elastic democracy and a sign of greatness that other African countries should emulate,” he added.
“This is a true test of the people’s will which shows that democracy is not tied to a particular political party. With their votes, the people can point to any direction of their choice. Truly the presidential election was a demonstration of the people’s will,” Albert said.
According to him, Jonathan had performed very well but might not have been voted out against this background but because the people decided to make a change of government.
He described the conceding of defeat by President Jonathan before the official announcement of result as a very heroic act worthy of celebration adding that it equated the victory of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd.) and expressed the believe that historians will have to make a recall of it.
“Jonathan by the very act of conceding to his defeat by Buhari has helped to douse tension in the polity as well as deepen democracy in Nigeria. His action has also proved his wise counsel that no one’s life should be sacrificed for anybody’s political ambition in any election.
“It is a very heroic act and I am happy that leading statesmen within and outside the country have hailed him. This is the political culture that has made democracy in America to be thick -the ability of a candidate who has lost an election to walk up to the winner and to say congratulations.
“The peace and progress of this nation is about the people and the people at this material time have said that they want to go with Buhari. And quickly, as a true democrat, President Goodluck Jonathan has given in to the wishes of the people by accepting the outcome of the election. He has thus set a lasting example in the minds of his followers across the country that election is not a ‘do or die’ affair.
“So I say kudos to Jonathan for his legendary act and congratulations to Buhari for emerging victorious. Ultimately, it is victory for our democracy,” Albert stated.
He stressed the need for politicians in the country to talk more of Nigeria and Nigerians rather self and devoid of tribal background, origin or religious sentiment.
Albert also stated that Jonathan’s acceptance of the defeat helped to nip in the bud disaster that could have arisen if he rejected the result.
He said President Jonathan has been sincere in his promise to give the country peaceful election by not looking into all issues and details earmarked by the election management body for the conduct of the elections.
According to him, the President could have utilized all the paraphernalia available to him as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to predetermine the outcome, but he decided to give a free hand.
The NUJ boss believed that the Chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega will at the appropriate time address the country and to publicly acknowledge that President Jonathan gave him a free hand to conduct the elections.
On the coverage of the elections by the Press, Albert said Journalism entails a high degree of public thrust and a very serious business of having to keep the people well informed about events in the society by educating, informing and entertaining the people.
According to him, it demands therefore that whatever information that journalists have to put out must have to be what will build the society -keeping the people in line with aspiration of the nation, economically, politically and towards every other things that will help enhance the welfare of the citizenry and the nation.
He said NUJ as a serious professional body had come up with the Nigeria Code of Election Coverage, which takes into account the dos and the don’ts for journalists.
It demands of a journalist not to report more advantageously of one political party against others, emphasizing that a journalist must be fair to all parties particularly on the issue of accuracy, fairness and balance.
“A journalist is expected to report election accurately without bias, a journalist should report election in a fair and balanced manner, a journalist must have to report fact based electoral information, a journalist should verify any allegation made against a political party or any other interest and reflect all sides in the story, a journalist should report the views of candidates and political parties directly and in their own words rather than what is interpreted by others and insisted that journalists remain on the path of ethical conduct.
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