The experts urged journalists and political think-tanks to adhere to ethical code of conduct that guides their practice and improves electioneering reportage.
Some media experts have stressed the need for a peaceful and inclusive reporting of the 2023 general elections.
They urged journalists and political think-tanks to adhere to ethical code of conduct that guides their practice and improves electioneering reportage.
The experts spoke at a three-day training organised by the Search for Common Ground in collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Search for Common Ground is an international non-governmental organisation that works to end violent conflict and build healthy, safe, and just societies.
It is the largest of such organisations dedicated to peacebuilding, with offices in over 30 countries and a media reach of roughly 40 million people.
The training, facilitated by media and behavioural experts, civil society organisations, electoral body and behavioural experts, dwelt on discussions around ethical reportage and the essence of understanding political and electoral process especially as it affects media reporting.
It brought participants from the multimedia, broadcast media, print across the nation's capital. It is part of the SFCG Sustainable Electoral Engagement for Democracy Project (SEED).
Perry Tukuwei, the programme coordinator of the Search for Common Ground, noted that peace is the key to sustainable democracy and that if the electoral process is not reported right it might lead to conflict.
"Peace is the key to sustainable democracy. If the electoral process is not reported right it might lead to conflict hence the common ground approach towards collaborative approach on conflict and how that can be transformed from adversarial approach to a collaborative approach," he said.
Mr Tukuwei also said there is a need for journalists and media stakeholders to be kept abreast of possible misinformation, principles of journalism, fact checking and be equipped on sensitive reporting towards the election processes ahead of the polls.
Yomi Akinseye, a representative of the NDI, said the essence is to "train journalists and media practitioners who are going to be the foot soldiers in the buildup to 2023 general elections and beyond good media approach, how to detect hate speech, mis and disinformation and also to coalesce in the media space to achieve a free, fair and credible election."
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For Abiodun Banjoko, a fact checker with Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), every journalist must know and understand the rudiments of fact checking and should constantly apply that to electoral reporting to avoid misinformation.
"Fact checking seeks to verify factual and accurate information in order to promote the veracity of reporting. He went further to share the right tools for factcheck and engaged all participants in a practical training ahead of the 2023 general elections," he said.
Deputy Director of Publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chinwe Ogbuka, said the commission is working tirelessly to ensure a peaceful and seamless electoral process for all.
She said the commission needs "journalists to report accurately".
During the training, journalists were shown the theoretical and practical importance of building a healthy democracy and to be able to promote inclusion of minority groups such as women, youth and persons with disabilities in the electoral reporting.
Participants were also guided through the fundamentals of practical fact checking, and they were made to understand the dynamics of fact checking including fact checking tools.
