The International Press Centre (IPC) has urged media practitioners to move beyond event-driven electoral coverage and embrace issue-based, citizen-centred reporting ahead of the 2027 general elections. The centre said the media must prioritise credible, balanced and public-interest information to help citizens make informed electoral decisions.
IPC Executive Director, Dr Lanre Arogundade, made the call on Monday, November 9, 2026, in Kano during a one-day training organised under Component 4 (Support to Media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN III) Programme.
Represented by the centre’s IT and Social Media Officer, Abiodun Adeleke, Arogundade said the media had a responsibility to scrutinise political promises, hold public officials accountable and ensure citizens’ voices were heard.
He warned that sensationalism, unverified claims, inflammatory rhetoric and the spread of misinformation and disinformation during elections could undermine public confidence, deepen divisions and weaken democratic institutions. Conversely, he said accurate, fair, verified and conflict-sensitive reporting could strengthen public trust and contribute to peaceful, credible and inclusive elections.
Arogundade said elections went beyond campaigns, rallies, candidates and the announcement of results, stressing that they were also about citizens’ aspirations, concerns and expectations of leadership. He urged journalists to reassess their electoral reporting approaches and provide information that enables voters to make informed decisions about the country’s future.
Also speaking, Dr Ruquayyah Aliyu, an Associate Professor in the Department of Information and Media Studies at Bayero University Kano, said the media should treat elections as a holistic process rather than a one-off event.
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