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The Head of Voter Education and Publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lagos State, Ms Esther Emeh, has urged Nigerians and Civil Society Organisations to protect the integrity of the country’s electoral process, stressing that the commission alone does not bear the responsibility of delivering credible elections.
Esther made the call at a Media and Civil Society Organisations Roundtable on Election, Press and Information Integrity, on September 29, where she spoke on the need for citizens, the media, and other stakeholders to work collectively towards free, fair, and credible elections. The event, which focused on Mitigating the Impact of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation Laws on Information Ecosystems and Building Newsroom Resilience, was held at the International Press Centre, Lagos.
Speaking during the roundtable, Esther highlighted INEC’s work to prepare voters and stakeholders for upcoming elections, while drawing attention to electoral practices that could undermine the process. She urged citizens to reject vote-buying and other forms of electoral malpractice, noting that some election challenges occur outside the commission’s direct control. She called on Nigerians to recognise their own role in protecting the electoral process rather than leaving the responsibility entirely to INEC.
Esther also stressed the importance of collaboration, fact-checking and sensitisation among media practitioners as the country moves closer to another election cycle. Her intervention underscored the role of accurate information in enabling citizens to make informed decisions, while urging journalists and other stakeholders to verify electoral information before sharing it. She co-signed and highlighted the importance of protecting journalists and creating an environment where media practitioners can safely carry out their responsibility to inform and educate the public.
With the 2027 General Election scheduled for February 20 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 6 for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, Esther’s message comes as stakeholders begin preparations for the next major electoral cycle. Esther stated that INEC has also emphasised the need for accurate reporting and vigilance against misinformation and disinformation as preparations for the elections continue.
The roundtable, convened by the Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria (HRJN) in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) Canada, brought together senior newsroom leaders, investigative journalists, legal practitioners and civil society representatives to examine issues around elections, the press and information integrity. Esther’s admonition placed particular emphasis on the collective responsibility of citizens and the media, reinforcing the need for greater voter education, fact-checking, sensitisation and collaboration to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
