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The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has rejected allegations of partisanship levelled against it by The Nation newspaper’s editorial board over the participation of former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) held in Enugu.
The Guild, in a statement signed by its President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, on Thursday, described the allegations contained in an October 8 editorial by The Nation, titled “Journalists Failed Journalism,” as misleading and unsupported by facts.
The NGE said ANEC 2026 was a professional gathering designed to interrogate critical issues affecting Nigeria, including democracy, elections, the media, artificial intelligence, disinformation and the future of the country.
According to the Guild, the conference programme provided for an “Executive Session” on the second day, specifically designed to feature governors, political party chairmen, heads of government agencies and parastatals and other key stakeholders.
The platform, it said, was intended to facilitate interaction between editors and major actors in Nigeria’s political and public space.
The Guild therefore argued that isolating the appearance of one political figure from the wider programme and character of the conference and presenting it as evidence of partisanship was “simply not supported by the facts.”
The NGE disclosed that it had officially invited the leadership of major political parties, including the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yelwatda; Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark; and the Chairman of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, to participate in the relevant engagement. It added that the invitations were followed up with reminders.
The Guild said its President, Eze Anaba, personally contacted Prof. Yelwatda and ADC Vice-Presidential candidate, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, in an effort to secure wider political participation at the conference.
The General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, it added, also followed up with Paul Ibe, media aide to the ADC presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to encourage the participation of the party and its leaders.
“These are verifiable facts,” the Guild said, arguing that they undermined the central premise of The Nation editorial.
It asked whether the Guild should have prevented a political candidate who was willing and available to attend the conference from participating simply because other invited political parties and leaders chose not to attend.
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The NGE acknowledged the right of The Nation and other media organisations to scrutinise its activities and express editorial opinions on the conduct of its conferences. It, however, accused the newspaper’s editorial of ignoring the broad spectrum of political and governmental voices that participated in ANEC 2026.
The Guild pointed out that Tunde Rahman, Special Asiustant to the President on Media and Publicity, addressed the conference on the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
It also noted that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, was represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Alhaji Ali M. Ali, while Vice President Kashim Shettima addressed the editors virtually from the United States.
“These engagements demonstrate the very opposite of the partisan picture painted by the editorial,” the Guild stated.
The NGE also rejected The Nation’s description of Peter Obi’s participation as an “ambush,” arguing that he attended a professional conference in the presence of hundreds of editors, journalists and other stakeholders.
“There is a fundamental distinction between providing a platform for engagement and supporting a political position,” the Guild said.
It equally dismissed the newspaper’s reference to an “impunity of silence,” describing the characterization as unfortunate.
According to the Guild, ANEC was a public professional gathering attended by hundreds of editors, journalists and stakeholders, stressing that the failure of The Nation or another newspaper to report an occurrence did not make it secret or establish professional misconduct.
The NGE reaffirmed its commitment to professional journalism and said it would continue to provide platforms for robust and independent engagement with political actors, public officials, civil society organisations, electoral institutions and other stakeholders.
“That is not partisanship. That is journalism,” the Guild declared.
Having placed its version of events on record, the NGE called on the Editorial Board of The Nation to acknowledge what it described as omissions in the editorial, correct what it termed misleading impressions and apologise to the Guild and its leadership.
