The Programme Manager, Mrs Stella Nwofia, disclosed this in Benin on Friday after the completion of a two-day training which started on Thursday.

Nwofia said journalists were drawn from online media and the Edo Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).

The programme is tagged “Media Dialogue and Stakeholders Interface on Credible Edo Governorship Election”.

“The overall objective is to ensure that all relevant stakeholders perform their duties with the desired sense of responsibility and lovable to the people in ways that the elections can be inclusive, free and fair; devoid of the toxicity of disinformation and misinformation,” she said.

NUJ Chairman, Edo Council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, appealed to security agencies to cooperate with journalists by allowing them to gain access to areas they needed to capture their news items.

Alenkhe also urged the Independent National Electorate Commission to make enough accreditation cards available this time around to journalists contrary to the situation in previous elections in the state.

Earlier, the Police Public Relations Officer, Police Command in Edo, Mr Chidi Nwabuzor, identified vote buying as a criminal offence that should be reported to the police.

He urged journalists to report stakeholders going against the rules of the game, especially at polling units.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr Ogbebor Efosa, assured journalists of the cooperation of the corps.

The training is part of activities under Component 4 (Support to media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EUSDGN II) Project, of which IPC is the lead partner.

The first day of the programme witnessed dialogue focusing on ethical journalism, fact-checking and the media’s critical role in ensuring transparent, free and fair elections.