#NigeriaDecides: NUJ In Ondo Blasts INEC Over Accreditation Of Journalists

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been criticized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ondo State Council, for the poor accredition of media personnel ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Leke Adegbite, the state chairman of the union, pointed out this on Friday as he welcomed foreign observers to the state.

Adegbite emphasized the importance of the media in covering elections while also expressing his concern over how INEC carried out media accreditation in the state.

He asserted that the centralization of the accreditation process served to purposefully exclude specific media companies from covering the election process.

“It was done as if journalists are not part of the elections. We are doing them a favor and many journalists would have to move around without accreditation cards”, he said.

“We pray we do not have any issue of journalists’ harassment due to INEC’s failure in accreditation and INEC should be held responsible if there is any case of harassment of journalists.”

On the other hand, Adegbite expressed satisfaction with the state’s politicians and applauded the governor of the state Rotimi Akeredolu for his cooperation with media practitioners.

The combined mission from the International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI), led by American Rahul Srivastava, earlier said that their purpose in Ondo state was to observe the electoral processes during the general election.

Other team members include Mr. Jonathan Obatola, a field officer, and Senegalese politician Marieme Soda Ndiaye.