Idara Jerome, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has cautioned members of its election debate committee and State Working Committee against making personal or potentially inciting comments about political candidates on social media, warning that such remarks could undermine the credibility of the 2027 pre-election debate.
The warning came as the council unveiled plans for a three-day election debate scheduled for December 9 to 11, 2026, aimed at giving candidates an opportunity to explain their policies, developmental plans and records to the electorate ahead of the 2027 elections.
Chairman of the NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council, Nsibiet John, gave the warning on Tuesday while speaking at a press conference to unveil the debate at the NUJ Secretariat in Uyo.
John said journalists involved in the exercise must be particularly careful with their public comments because any perceived political leaning could cast doubt on the neutrality of the debate and damage public confidence in the process.
“As a member of the committee or as a member of the State Working Committee of NUJ, desist or resist the temptation of attempting to do a personal opinion on social media,” he said.
“Your comment can be misinterpreted or misunderstood to mean that you are going to be biased. I say this conscious of the fact that we come from an environment that reads meaning into our actions and comments.”
The NUJ chairman said the debate would be conducted in a manner that would reflect the professionalism and impartiality of journalists in the state, assuring both organisers and participating candidates of a fair process.
He urged journalists to promote the initiative and resist anything capable of compromising its credibility, describing the debate as part of the council’s contribution towards strengthening journalism and democratic participation in Akwa Ibom.
John said the success of the initiative would give the current leadership of the council a sense of accomplishment, particularly if it resulted in the establishment of an electoral agenda broadly accepted by the people.
“A lot of time, people say that the media in Akwa Ibom State is not doing enough and covertly or overtly, we share in that narrative. If you are a journalist and someone said that the media is not doing enough and you agreed, you have already indicated yourself,” he said.
He added: “When that is achieved, it will be safe for us to say that in our time as journalists, we were able to set an agenda that is adopted and appreciated by the vast majority of Akwa Ibom people.”
Chairman of the Debate Committee, Ndanti Ekuh, said the exercise would enable candidates of political parties to explain their policy direction, developmental plans and previous records directly to voters.
Ekuh said democratic leadership required accountability and meaningful engagement with the electorate, stressing that candidates seeking public office must be prepared to clearly communicate their vision and plans for governance.
He called on journalists in the state to support the initiative, describing it as part of the NUJ’s commitment to promoting issue-based political campaigns, accountable leadership and informed democratic participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The debate, he said, would hold from December 9 to 11, 2026, with candidates of political parties expected to participate.
