Nigerian media challenged on tracking election promises

Media practitioners in Nigeria have been challenged to track the campaign promises of elected public officers, as a means of monitoring their performance.

The Director of the International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos, Mr. Lanre Arogundade gave the charge at a media workshop organized in the capital city Abuja by the IPC, in collaboration with the UK-based Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)

Arogundade listed methods of tracking public office holders’ campaign promises to include:

• Assessing data of promises
• Monitoring reports by Independent Organisations
• Utilizing the Freedom of Information law
• Analyzing the budget, and
• Investigative Journalism

The Director of the IPC cautioned that personal safety should be considered while tracking election promises through investigative journalism:

(Arogundade’s comment)

A broadcast journalist and online editor from Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Tony Ekata, who talked on web writing and writing for radio, advised that efforts should be made by correspondents to ensure the accuracy of their stories.

The Director of Campaigns, Media Rights Agenda, Mr Tive Denedo, also gave an insight into the freedom of information bill, just signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan, and how it would enhance investigative journalism:

(Denedo’s comment)

Denedo however enjoined journalists to understand that the law carries a lot of responsibilities.