YERP-Naija coalition seeks media alliance to pressure for genuine electoral reforms

The Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) coalition on Friday called for media collaboration to strengthen awareness and pressure for the passage of key electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Bukola Idowu, Executive Director of Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), a convener of the project, stated that the collaboration was needed to achieve national reform.

“We need your support. And I also know that you also need our support, which means it’s a joint endeavor when it comes to reforming a nation.

“There is no other person we can drag into this conversation of electoral reform and constitutional reform than the media. A single programme, a single talk show, a single announcement on your platform, one of the simplest questions you may ask your guests on your show can actually change the trajectory of the entire conversation,” he said during a stakeholder engagement with media executives and social media influencers in Abuja on Thursday.

Mr Idowu noted that the media is important in its reach and citizen education. The forum is part of YERP-Naija Project aimed at reforming the Nigerian electoral system.

He stated that the meeting was crucial because the National Assembly’s Committees on Constitutional Reform and the Electoral Reforms had concluded final retreats and reached decisions waiting for plenary vote.

He noted that only the media could effect a meaningful change as things stood, by amplifying the electoral reform priorities agreed on by Nigerian youths.

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In June, the group put forward five key recommendations, stripping the Nigerian president’s power to appoint the chairman and top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC), mandatory electronic transmission of election results, the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission, the conclusion of pre-election cases before elections and post-election petitions before the inauguration of public office holders, and to the continuous voter registration unstopped.

The National Secretary, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Achike Chude, delivering the keynote address, noted the importance of the media’s role for electoral accountability.

However, Mr Chude noted that challenges such as limited press freedom deters the media from holding governments accountable, which leads to widespread misinformation and voter apathy.

Media framing to reshape voter apathy

Kayla Megwa, a journalist with Channels Television, while moderating a panel of media figures, noted that the credibility of democracy is not only shaped at the ballot but also by the media.

Ms Megwa stated that media framing had the power to reverse the trend of voter apathy in Nigerian elections.

Deputy Managing Editor, Premium Times, Adeyemi Adesomoju, highlighted poor media communication as a factor cntributing to voter apathy. Mr Adesomoju noted a notion with long history in Nigeria valuable news stories must carry negative connotation. He noted that this perception must be changed.

“Overloading the media space with negative news on electoral matters contributes to voter apathy,” he said. With its obvious flaws, it does not paint the true and complete picture when only the negative side of the electoral system is reported, Mr Adesomoju said. He therefore called on media organisations to look towards solution journalism that highlights what works and how it can be replicated.

“So, what we need to do in addition to everything that has been said is to also look at where we have made some progress. To encourage the voters that, see, it’s not all hope lost. We don’t have to take an absolute pessimistic view of the process,” he said.

However, he affirmed the effort of the media in promoting democracy.

Similarly, the Metro Editor, Punch Newspaper, Joel Nwokeoma, emphasised the media’s efforts in discouraging voter apathy. “Yes, we’re doing our job, but we can still do more. We can still identify the targeted audience and frame the narrative that will reach them.”

Proposing other solutions, Mr Nwokeoma called for continuous collaboration between the civil society and the media.

Also contributing to the discussion, the Head, News Operations, DAAR Communications, Amaechi Anakwue, encouraged the media to keep amplifying electoral discussions.

“Keep up the pressure by insisting that the right things be done. We must continue to agitate those things that are guaranteed by the Constitution.”

Similarly, Ruth Aguele, a Newscaster/presenter, NTA, proposed including electoral topics in jingles and breakfast shows as innovative ways to promote citizens’ political participation.

Ms Aguele also encouraged media organisations to hold conversations with stakeholders involved in the amendment and those proposing the memorandum for the citizens.

She noted that media practitioners can also use their social media spaces to start such conversations. “You could just tweet something. You could just do something,” she said.

Role of social media influencers

Peter Akah, an activist, argued that influencers must raise public discussions on electoral reform with the same urgency as they would an electoral crisis.

He saidthe legacy and new media must raise the issue of electoral matters “to the level of an electoral crisis where people begin to see a direct link to what happens within this period of elections to our direct life.”

“As young people, we must now take up the challenge to know that elections are a blood business.”

He also noted that influencers can still make legitimate money while using their platforms for civic duties.

Call to action

To encourage media organisations to amplify pressure for the passage of electoral reforms, Mr Nwokeoma asked civil society organisations to present the media with facts about pressing issues. He stressed that the media does not create but mirrors issues.

Ms Aguele of the NTA called for a partnership for progress between the media and CSOs. She asked that CSOs speak to issues instead of putting efforts into tearing the government apart.

Meanwhile, Mr Akah urged that issues surrounding elections should “not be from a place of hopelessness. Let us not make the insinuations that the people who are there will not do it.”

“Let Nigerians have a positive mindset. Nation-building is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. No matter how long oppression may have lasted over a people, when the majority says enough, it will be enough,” he said.

During the discussions, issues were raised concerning the negative media perception.

Mr Adesomoju said the perception of the media has been impacted by the narrative of individuals with political interests. Nevertheless, he did not clear the media of responsibility for its own missteps.

As a solution, he encouraged media transparency, whereby media organisations admit their honest mistakes and address complaints from the citizens about their reports. Mr Adesomoju also charged the media to imbibe fact-checking.

About YERP-Naija

The Youth-led Electoral Reform Advocacy Consortium (YERP_Naija) is a coalition of youth-focused non-governmental organisations working to elevate the voices of Nigerian youth in electoral reform discussions.

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Supported by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Consortium engages with young people from all six geo-political zones and across the 36 states and the FCT to advocate for critical reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system.

Members include civil society organisations from all six Nigerian geopolitical zones. It is led by a team of coordinators: Bukola Idowu (National and North-central), Zigwai Ayuba (North-west), Ashraf Tukur (North-east), Ms Aladejare-Salako (South-West), Nonso Orakwe (South-east), and Israel Orekha (South-south).