Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerian editors to thoroughly examine the qualifications, track records and past conduct of politicians seeking elective offices.
Obi made the call following his participation in the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu State on Friday.
The conference, with the theme, “The Ballot, The Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” focused on the role of the media in strengthening democratic institutions and promoting accountability in governance.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, the former Anambra State governor said editors had a responsibility to provide citizens with credible information about candidates ahead of elections.
He urged journalists and editors to go beyond reporting campaign promises by investigating the backgrounds and records of politicians seeking public office.
“Editors must continue to scrutinise the qualifications and past records of those seeking public office, expose past wrongdoings and ensure that the Nigerian people have access to the information they need to make informed decisions,” Obi said.
He also called on editors to use their influential position in society to hold politicians accountable and demand higher standards from those aspiring to leadership positions.
According to him, the media must remain a strong institutional safeguard for democracy by subjecting politicians and their records to public scrutiny.
“In my remarks, I called on our editors to continue to reinforce their role as bulwarks protecting our democracy.
“I also emphasised the need for editors to use their privileged position in society to hold us politicians accountable, investigate our records and demand excellence from all of us contesting to become Excellencies,” he said.
Obi said his participation in the conference also afforded him the opportunity to engage directly with editors and other participants during a question-and-answer session.
He said the interaction enabled him to listen to their perspectives on the state of Nigeria's democracy and the responsibilities of the media in sustaining it.
The NDC presidential candidate thanked the Nigerian Guild of Editors for inviting him to the conference and commended the organisers for convening discussions around the future of democracy and the media's role in the electoral process.
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