Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, has cautioned journalists against giving a platform to hate speech and inciting statements by politicians, warning that irresponsible election reporting could fuel violence and weaken Nigeria’s democracy.
Okoye spoke on Friday in Abuja at a one-day election coverage training workshop organised by The Whistler newspaper.
He urged reporters to be careful when covering provocative remarks by political candidates, saying the media must not become a channel for rhetoric that could provoke violence or push citizens to take up arms against political opponents.
According to him, journalists should do more than reproduce inflammatory statements. They must hold politicians accountable for what they say and keep such comments under sustained scrutiny.
Okoye pointed to cases where politicians allegedly threatened supporters of rival parties with violence, as well as remarks suggesting that women whose husbands refuse to vote for a particular party could face consequences in their marriages.
He said such statements should not be dismissed as normal campaign talk, adding that politicians must not be allowed to escape responsibility by later claiming they were misquoted or that the comments were generated by artificial intelligence.
The former commissioner also criticised what he called the media’s inconsistency in following up on controversial issues, noting that journalists often drop them after the initial public reaction.
“The truth of the matter is that we do not have the temperament. We do not have the staying power to remain on a particular issue and deal with it and get through with it. We don’t forget at all. We don’t move on. We’ve moved on. The man doesn’t go away. The police only invite him,” he said.
Legal provisions
Okoye reminded journalists of Section 96 of the Electoral Act, which bars the use of abusive, intemperate, slanderous or inflammatory language likely to provoke violent reactions during campaigns.
He also drew attention to the ban on using religious sentiments to incite hostility, and on campaigning in places of worship, police stations and public offices.
He warned political parties and candidates against hiring thugs to intimidate opponents, noting that the law prescribes penalties for those involved in electoral violence, including anyone who aids or abets electoral offences.
Okoye further cautioned against the use of government institutions and state resources to favour particular political parties, insisting that public institutions must stay neutral during elections.
Professional responsibility
Speaking on journalists’ duties, he said reporters covering the 2027 general elections must understand the legal instruments that govern elections, including the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.
“A good journalist makes an effort to understand and have basic knowledge of the legal instruments that govern elections. A good journalist will read and ask questions when in doubt,” he said.
He stressed that journalists must remain impartial regardless of their personal political leanings, ideological beliefs or affiliations. In his view, their job is to give Nigerians accurate information so they can make informed decisions, not to promote political interests.
“The journalist’s ideological preferences and disposition are immaterial. The journalist should report and let the people be the ultimate judge. Leave the ideological leaning,” he said.
However, Okoye warned that impartiality should not become a cover for giving unlimited publicity to hate speech and calls for violence.
“The journalist is not allowed to amplify hate speech or statements that encourage recourse to arms and violence. You go and amplify that you are reporting. In other words, the journalist should not aid and abet violation of the law,” he said.
He added that attributing an unverified accusation to someone else does not automatically shield a journalist or media organisation from liability. Using a hypothetical example, he said a journalist could face legal action for publishing an allegation that a person is an armed robber without establishing its truth.
He urged reporters to independently verify politically sensitive allegations before publishing, advising: “If you are in doubt, leave it out.”
About the workshop
The workshop, held ahead of the 2027 general elections, is designed to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report campaigns and electoral processes accurately, responsibly and professionally.
Sessions cover the legal and regulatory framework for elections, INEC guidelines, electoral offences, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and how results move from polling units to collation centres.
Other sessions focus on reporting campaigns, interpreting voter registration figures and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) data, interviewing candidates and INEC officials, and spotting misinformation and manipulated digital content.
Participants are also being trained on deepfake detection, AI-generated misinformation, digital verification tools, mobile journalism, safety of journalists during elections and setting up an effective election results desk.
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