Nigeria Newspapers Online

…Opens online media accreditation portal for Ondo
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has confirmed the accreditation of 721 journalists from 114 media organisations to cover next weekend’s Edo State off-cycle governorship election.
The commission, giving breakdown, disclosed that after verification, it cleared 114 newspaper, radio, television and online media organisations that successfully uploaded the details of 721 personnel to cover the election as reporters, cameramen, engineers for live broadcast and support staff.
National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, who made the disclosure in a statement, reassure all accredited media organisations, observers and political party agents that their accreditation tags will be ready ahead of the election.
Assuring all accredited groups of unimpeded lawful access to voting and collation locations, the electoral umpire appealed to media organisations and observers to abide by their codes of professional ethics, the law and the commission’s regulations and guidelines in their reportage and observation of processes and procedures before, during and after the election.
According to the statement; “it will be recalled that in our recent statement, the commission urged media organisations interested in covering the forthcoming Edo State governorship election to submit their applications and upload the personal details of their personnel ahead of the deadline of Thursday, September 5, 2024.”
“The commission is pleased to announce that after verification, 114 newspaper, radio, television and online media organisations have successfully uploaded the details of 721 personnel to cover the election as reporters, cameramen, engineers for live broadcast and support staff. The full list, including the number of personnel to be deployed, has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.
“The commission wishes to reassure all accredited media organisations, observers and political party agents that their accreditation tags will be ready ahead of the election.
“While assuring all accredited groups of unimpeded lawful access to voting and collation locations, we appeal to media organisations and observers to abide by their codes of professional ethics, the law and the Commission’s regulations and guidelines in their reportage and observation of processes and procedures before, during and after the election,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the electoral umpire equally announced that it has opened a dedicated portal for online accreditation of journalists and media organisations wishing to cover the Ondo State off-cycle governorship election scheduled for November 16, 2024.
The accreditation portal, according to the commission opened on Monday, September 9, warning that it will automatically shut down at 12 midnight on Thursday 31, October 2024.
“Interested media organisations wishing to deploy journalists and technical staff to cover the election are by this notice required to apply. We implore prospective applicants to do the needful well ahead of the October deadline. There will be no deadline extension, while late submission will not be entertained,” the commission warned in the statement.