2027 Elections: Don’t Reduce Coverage to Rallies, Defections – Prof. Dunu Tells Nigerian Journalists
The Director of UNIZIK 94.1 FM, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ifeoma Dunu, has charged Nigerian journalists to go beyond routine coverage of political campaigns, rallies and defections as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Dunu made the call while presenting a paper at a two-day media interface held at BON Hotel Platinum, Independence Layout, Enugu. She urged media practitioners to place public accountability, citizens’ welfare and rigorous fact-checking at the centre of election reporting.
The workshop, titled “Interface with Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Editors/Publishers on Democratic Scorecard, Enugu State Edition,”was organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) with funding support from the European Union through the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) project.
According to the communication scholar, the 2027 polls place a major responsibility on the media to strengthen democratic participation, promote accountability and protect citizens’ access to credible electoral information.
She cautioned journalists against what she described as “horse-race journalism,” a style of reporting that focuses mainly on political parties, defections, rallies, endorsements, opinion polls and campaign rhetoric.
“Effective election journalism must move beyond reporting what politicians say to investigating what they do, verifying what they claim, and establishing how their decisions affect citizens’ lives,” she said.
Dunu stressed that election coverage should not be treated merely as a contest among candidates, but as an opportunity to interrogate public needs, democratic rights and policy choices.
She maintained that the concerns of citizens should determine newsroom priorities and guide editorial decisions before, during and after election day.
To achieve people-centred election reporting, Dunu proposed a three-stage framework for journalists across the electoral cycle.
During the pre-election period, she asked journalists to interrogate citizens’ needs, candidates’ promises and the concrete evidence supporting such promises.
On election day, she said the media should establish whether voters can participate freely, safely and fairly; whether electoral rules are applied consistently; and whether claims and incidents are verified on the ground.
For the post-election period, she called on journalists to shift attention to governance and accountability by examining whether campaign promises are fulfilled, electoral complaints are resolved transparently, and public officials are held responsible for service delivery.
The session brought together editors, publishers and key executives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to deepen investigative rigour and promote a people-centred democratic culture in regional and national media coverage.
EDITOR
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, as well as M.Sc Mass Communication at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is the immediate past NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
