Ahead of August 15, 2026 Osun State off-cycle governorship election, members of the European Union (EU), Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) and International Press Centre (IPC) have stressed need for journalists to uphold watchdog role and fact-check information before publishing. They stated this at a recent high-level media engagement and stakeholders’ interface in Osogbo. The event was under Component 4 (Support to Media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, Phase II (EU-SDGN II).

In his welcome remarks, CEMESO Executive Director, Akin Akingbulu, observed there is no credible election without a credible media, and no democracy without both.

To him, the gathering had convened at a moment when “the eyes of Nigeria, and indeed of the democratic world,” are turning towards Osun State.

Anchoring the intervention firmly in the objective of the EU-funded programme’s media component — to ensure that the media, including new and social media, provides fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the electoral process, he also paid tribute to the union for generous funding and steadfast.

Speakingfurther,Akingbulunotedthatabout2.33millionregisteredvotersandthousandsofelectionpersonnelwouldbeengagedacrossOsun’s30localgovernmentareas,332wardsandmorethan3,700pollingunits.

Describing logistics as formidable, he noted evidence gathered from journalists across the state under the programme identified the political environment and misinformation as the two highest-rated threats to press freedom, alongside economic pressures, editorial interference and a climate of rising fear.

Citing the programme’s recent deployment of trained journalist-observers for the June 20 governorship election in neighbouring Ekiti State, Akingbulu noted, “the contest here is keener, polarisation deeper, and the stakes, for the actors and for the system, considerably higher.’

He further called on the electoral commission, police, civil defence corps, orientation agency, professional unions and the media to heed the a1voice of duty.

The answer to security concerns hanging over the election, he argued, is not silence but professionalism: neutrality from the security agencies, transparency from the umpire, restraint from political actors, and accurate, conflict-sensitive reporting from the press.

He also set four urgent tasks before the media: to make civic and voter education a daily editorial commitment between now and August 15, supported by the toolkit developed under the programme; to make fact-checking a newsroom routine rather than an afterthought, aided by the AI Fact-Checking Guide launched under the programme; to open the door of coverage to women, young people and persons with disabilities, applying the programme’s Gender-Sensitive Media Guidelines and to discharge the watchdog role over every electoral institution with accuracy, balance, fairness and conflict-sensitivity, for the watchdog that barks falsely soon loses the public’s ear.

He urged journalists, above all, to prioritise their own safety, assuring them that the programme’s mechanisms for monitoring and responding to attacks on the press stand ready to serve them.
Speaking in a similar vein, IPC Executive Director Lanre Arogundade, disclosed he partners had, ahead of the engagement, facilitated emergence of a corps of electoral fact-checkers in the state; conducted a public opinion poll on priority election issues; trained 15 state Voter Education and Publicity officials in digital literacy and fact-checking, leading to the establishment of a six-person INEC fact-checking unit.

In addition, Arogundade disclosed they have trained 40 INEC state officials in information management and crisis communication; built capacity of 25 print and online journalists on issue-oriented reporting of the Osun poll — all made possible by funding support of the EU.

To this end, he charged all institutions present to state their level of readiness, affirm their willingness to be held accountable for their commitments, and pledge openness to criticism. “No single tree makes a forest,” he said.

“Together, we can make Osun State a stronghold of credible electoral conduct and an outcome acceptable to all.”
Some of the participants at the event include, Chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Osun State, editors, reporters, producers and presenters drawn from the broadcast, print and online media

Others are representatives from Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner; Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command among others.