Enugu LG Polls: ECES Trains Journalists on Election Coverage

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

Ahead of the Enugu State Local Government elections scheduled for February 23, the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), yesterday held a training for journalists on election observance.

Declaring the training open, Project Coordinator of ECES, Mr. Hamza Fassi-Fihri, said that it was organised upon request by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, ENSIEC.

Fassi-Fihri explained that such trainings are part of the Centre’s efforts aimed at promoting democracy, good governance and the provision of technical assistance and guidance to election management bodies, EMBs around the world.

According to him, there can never be democracy without the media and there is no free media without committed journalists, hence the need for journalists to always keep their knowledge on election coverage up to date.

He noted that although elections are a key moment in the democratic life, they are without challenges, risks, pressures and sometimes threats and violence.

“Therefore, reporting on sensitive contexts like election requires high level of professionalism, starting with a thorough knowledge and understanding of the election process, in addition to a thorough analysis of the political context within which the election takes place,” he explained.

He said that the mandate of the ISIEC, which is primarily the conduct of local government elections, coma with specifications, including election administration, planning, managing the timeline, registering the parties and their candidates, communication with the public, recruiting and training of election personnel for e-day and ensuring compliance with the regulations.

“Knowing this in detail will help you as a journalist understand where delays come from, what challenges and risks in deploying those activities are, among others helping you report better to the audience” he said.

Earlier in her address, a member of the ENSIEC, Ms. Bernadine Ezeugwu, said that over eight political parties have so far registered to take part in the LG elections.

She said that the ENSIEC was determined to ensure the conduct of a free, fair and credible election across the 17 local governments in the state.