Umo Eno says he was "both a victim and beneficiary of bad and good press" during the 2023 election.
The Governor-elect of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has criticised the media coverage of the just concluded 2023 general elections in the state.
"From what was being emitted in the name of news during the campaigns, some non-residents of the State, who read such stories, must have mistaken Akwa Ibom for a war zone," Mr Eno, who was a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the election, said on 14 April at a one-day seminar organised by a senior lawyer in the state, Samuel Ikpo for some journalists in Uyo.
The seminar, facilitated by Ndon Asian, honourary special adviser to Governor Udom Emmanuel on judiciary matters, was attended by the spokesperson to Governor Emmanuel, Ekerete Udoh.
The governor-elect was represented by a former commissioner for information in the state, Chris Abasi-Eyo.
Mr Eno said he was "both a victim and beneficiary of bad and good press" during the election, and that there were times he read "false" stories about himself and wondered if they were really about him or someone else.
"It is imperative that, for the sake of Akwa Ibom and her development, media practitioners should revert to their professional role of mediating between the masses and events, instead of being transmitters of falsehood.
"As conveyors of information, journalists must be able to discern that which is worthy of communicating to others and present the same with clarity, while the recipients of information must learn to sift through it, evaluate it, and integrate it properly into an intelligent world view.
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"On the whole, journalists must resist the temptation of being used to ridicule their noble profession, thereby reducing journalism to an unethical field, where quackery has a field day," he said.
Mr Eno, however, admitted, that the media played a "crucial part" in his election, and that he has respect for journalism profession, which is why the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council, was among the early set of groups he consulted at the beginning of his "gubernatorial journey" in February 2022.
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"At this point, I must thank the generality of journalists in the state for the co-operation I received till my election on March 18, 2023," he said, while urging journalists in Akwa Ibom to give priority to development journalism "in the interest of our people".
Mr Ikpo, who is the head of Zion Chambers, Uyo, spoke to the journalists on how to avoid committing libel in their reporting.
Anietie Usen, an award-winning journalist and author of Audacious Journalism: The Art, Style & Depth, shared his journalism experiences with the journalists and told them that self-development, building contacts, and having great reputation are the keys to career success.
Cletus Ukpong, PREMIUM TIMES' regional editor for South-east and South-south, who was among the resource persons at the seminar, took the reporters on the value of specialisation in journalism.
