Preamble

WHEREAS it is an established principle that the ability of citizens to make informed choices during electoral processes strengthens democracy;

WHEREAS it is equally established that democracy thrives on good democratic practices, the kernel of which is the right of the people, to freely and knowledgably choose their representatives;

RECOGNISING that the media enables voters to make informed choices by providing information that enhances their knowledge of electoral processes;

NOTING that the media as watchdog of the society should be catalysts of transparent electoral processes and credible, free, fair and peaceful elections;

REALISING that this obligation entails the performance of oversight, public education, open forum and conflict management roles by the media during elections;

CONSCIOUS that the effective performance of these important roles requires the observance of the highest standards of professionalism, maximum compliance with regulatory frameworks and deference to the public good and interest;

AGREEING therefore that it is desirable to have a set of guidelines that regulates the professional and ethical conduct of the media and journalists during elections;

MINDFUL of the fact that compliance with the guidelines will contribute to the conduct of credible elections and corresponding social order;

KNOWING that such guidelines should align with international standards, instruments and declarations on best practices in election reporting with the underpinning principles of:

• The right of citizens to freely express themselves and have unfettered access to information on the electoral processes;
• The right of the media to freely access and truthfully disseminate information on the electoral processes;
• The right of media access by parties, candidates and under-represented groups; and
• The promotion of democratic norms and values. WE, the representatives of Nigerian media organisations, institutions, professional bodies and support groups, hereby agree to adopt and abide by this MEDIA CODE OF ELECTION COVERAGE.