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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has called on Nigerian editors to be catalysts of democracy, national cohesion, and electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) in Abuja, Uzodimma said editors wield immense power to shape public opinion and sustain the country’s democratic values.
He said the conference’s theme, “Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors,” and sub-theme, “Electoral Integrity and Trust Deficit: What Nigerians Expect in 2027,” underscored the central role of the media in safeguarding democracy.
“Without electoral integrity, there can be no democracy. Electoral integrity begets democracy, and democracy begets good governance.”
Uzodimma reminded editors that objectivity in journalism was both an ethical and epistemic responsibility.
“Objectivity is not neutrality. Every editorial choice—what story leads, which voice gets prominence, and what narrative dominates—is interpretative and carries consequences.”
The governor urged editors to embrace “accuracy over speed, verification over virality, and context over clickbait,” saying the pen remains a more powerful weapon than the sword in shaping nations.
He lamented the decline in public trust in the media, citing the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, which showed that only 51 percent of Nigerians trust the media.
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“Nearly half of Nigerians distrust the media. They trust corporations seeking profit more than journalists seeking truth. This is an institutional crisis,” he said.
Uzodimma cautioned that media narratives around elections often deepened division and undermined trust in democratic institutions.
“When coverage treats every electoral challenge as systemic fraud rather than an imperfect but improving process, it reinforces distrust and weakens democracy.”
He charged editors to uphold editorial integrity, which he described as the foundation of electoral integrity.
“If misinformation, rumour and tribalism are allowed to masquerade as journalism, electoral integrity is compromised even before a vote is cast.” Uzodimma also urged editors to promote stories that unite rather than divide Nigerians, especially as the nation approaches the 2027 elections.
“National interest must be your editorial north star. Coverage should inform without inflaming and hold power accountable without framing every contest as catastrophe,” he said.
Uzodimma commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritising national cohesion and combating disinformation through strategic communication structures such as the National Orientation Agency and ministerial briefings.
He stressed the need for editors to rise to the challenge of history.
“You are not spectators in 2027. You are active participants. The narratives you shape will determine whether Nigerians approach 2027 with hope or cynicism. Let 2027 be the year journalism became an architect of national unity and democratic integrity,” he said.
