FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH 2023: The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), a National alliance of media and civil society organisations, has called for the protection of journalists during and beyond the 2023 general elections, starting with the presidential poll on the 25th of February 2023, across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
During elections in Nigeria, journalists are often the targets of harassment, intimidation, and violence, being one of the primary actors whose work relies on demanding social accountability. Such attacks include unlawful or arbitrary arrests and detention, abductions, equipment seizure, illegal surveillance, torture, sexual violence, and murder. These attacks on journalists are not just assaults on the individuals concerned but they go right to the heart of attacks on the right to freedom of expression and the democratic process.
Therefore, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, and all security agencies, to ensure that journalists who have been duly accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), are not obstructed in carrying out their constitutional duty. They must be allowed to engage in this duty freely, and with unrestricted access to covering the oncoming elections, thereby enhancing the transparency of the electoral process.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 in section 39(1) and section 22, speaks to the peculiarity of the role of journalists, and this is particularly important in terms of electoral oversight. We must all keep in mind that just as security agencies have a constitutional duty to ensure peaceful polls, journalists also have a constitutional obligation to keep the public properly informed.
CWPPF shall take every legal step to hold to account anyone whose action or inaction leads to the violation of the rights of any journalist during and beyond these elections.
The Coalition also urged Nigerian security to take all possible preventive and protection measures for the physical safety of journalists and media workers and to provide them with adequate support where necessary.
Signed:
CWPPF Secretariat
The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organizations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom.
CWPPF members
Premium Times
OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative
The Cable
Daily Trust Newspaper
International Centre for Investigative Reporting
Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism
Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID)
African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)
Civic Media Lab
Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC)
International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR)
International Press Centre (IPC)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
Paradigm Initiative
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)
HEDA Resources Centre.
