The Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria, IBAN, has decried some irregularities associated with the issuance of accreditation materials to journalists and media houses across the country.
The group described as “most disturbing”, the fact that after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, approved the various lists of personnel submitted for accreditation, there are growing complaints of non-availability of accreditation materials, and in most cases, INEC has unilaterally reduced the number of personnel cleared to cover the elections.
This concerns by IBAN, was made known in a statement signed by its Chairman, Guy Murray-Bruce, called on INEC to stop every attempt to prevent the effective coverage of the elections by journalists and media houses.
“INEC must fix the problem they created. It is a constitutional responsibility for the media to cover the elections, and no one should attempt, under whatever guise, to deny any approved journalist the right to cover the election,” the association said.
“Since most journalists will be deployed to rural communities, IBAN has called on the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to without delay, issue a directive for immediate production of additional accreditation materials for journalists and media houses in accordance with the list submitted and approved by INEC.
“Time is of the essence. The success of the 2023 general election is a collective responsibility and the media will continue to play its constitutional role of a credible stakeholder,” IBAN stated.
