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By Oluseye Ojo
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, and Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Chief Sunday Dare, as well as the National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahya, have called on journalists to uphold truth, professional ethics, press freedom, and strengthen democratic accountability as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
They warned against misinformation, political partisanship and digital manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The trio spoke at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, in Ibadan on Saturday.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja was the royal father of the day, while the occasion was chaired by former President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero. They were received by the Chairman of NUJ, Oyo State Council, Akeem Abas.
Makinde, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, charged journalists to remain impartial and defend democratic accountability, Dare warned of the threats posed by artificial intelligence and deepfakes, as Abdullahi demanded better welfare and stronger protection for media practitioners.
He congratulated the union on attaining six decades of service, and said the credibility of the media must outlive every political contest. He enjoined journalists to give all stakeholders a fair hearing, verify information before publication, inform rather than inflame passions, and educate rather than manipulate the electorate.
The governor said the media’s greatest contribution to democracy in 2027 would not be support for any individual, candidate or political party but unwavering commitment to the truth.
“Elections come and go. Politicians come and go. Governments come and go. But institutions endure. The credibility of the media must outlive every political contest. Your allegiance must always be to the truth, the public interest and the ethics of your profession,” he said.
The governor described journalism as one of the noblest callings in society, noting that journalists were custodians of truth, chroniclers of history, defenders of public interest and guardians of democratic accountability.
He said he welcomed both commendations and criticisms of his administration, stressing that constructive criticism strengthened governance, scrutiny strengthened institutions, while accountability strengthened democracy.
Makinde also cited the 2025 Democracy Performance Index released by the Kimpact Development Initiative and published by StatiSense, which ranked Oyo State as the most democratic state in Nigeria, placing it first in electoral participation, institutional effectiveness, civil liberties and political inclusion.
He attributed the recognition, partly, to the contributions of a vibrant and responsible media, assuring journalists that his administration would sustain a relationship with the press based on openness, mutual respect and accountability.
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In his anniversary lecture titled, “Journalism as Creation: Reforgings of Ethics, AI, and the Future of the Press in Nigeria,” Dare, former Minister of Sports Development, who was represented by former Director General, National Institute of Sports, Prof Olawale Moronkola, warned that artificial intelligence, deepfake technology, synthetic voice cloning and digital manipulation posed serious threats to journalism and democratic accountability.
He, however, urged journalists not to reject technological innovation, noting that AI offered opportunities for deeper investigative data analysis, collaborative reporting, socio-economic research and historical archiving.
According to him, while artificial intelligence possesses computational capabilities, journalism requires human conscience, moral judgment, empathy and the courage to hold powerful individuals accountable.
Dare identified truthfulness and verification, independence and objectivity, balance and context, public interest and accountability, as well as human dignity and integrity as fundamental principles that must guide the profession.
He also cautioned against brown-envelope journalism, sensationalism, partisan reporting and the publication of unverified information for social media attention, reminding journalists of their constitutional responsibility under Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to hold the government accountable.
Dare said: “Future generations will not judge this era by the technologies we used or the platforms we operated. They will judge us by whether we protected the truth, strengthened democracy and acted in the public interest when it mattered most.”
Meanwhile, the NUJ President, Yahya, whose address was presented by the NUJ Vice President, Zone B, Princess Ronke Afebioye-Samo, described the Diamond Jubilee as 60 years of struggle, sacrifice and service to the nation.
He paid tribute to journalism pioneers, including Ernest Sesei Ikoli, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Dele Giwa, for their contributions and sacrifices in the struggle against colonialism, military rule and oppression.
The NUJ president lamented the challenges confronting the profession, including fake news, misinformation, economic hardship, insecurity, poor remuneration, harassment of journalists and the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
He urged journalists to embrace continuous training, fact-checking, investigative journalism and digital innovation, while calling on governments to guarantee their safety, improve their welfare and end impunity for crimes against media practitioners.
Yahya also disclosed that the national leadership remained committed to pursuing the Media Enhancement Bill, establishing NUJ radio and television stations, and improving members’ welfare through insurance and housing initiatives.
He insisted that press freedom was a constitutional right and not a favour from the government, adding that a free press remained essential to protecting democracy.
