News

Election: IPC Partners NAWOJ, EU On Capacity Building For Female Journalists

Published

3 years ago

November 21, 2022

By Ijeoma Umeh

Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Centre, IPC, has said that for the media to serve as catalysts of credible elections, certain deliberate actions must be taken.

Mr Arogundade said this while addressing female journalists drawn from both print and electronic media from the South-South, South-East, and South West during a workshop organised by the IPC in partnership with NAWOJ with the European Union Support for Media under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU SDGNll) Project held in Port Harcourt Rivers state.

He stated that the workshop was designed to further enhance the skills of the participants on professional, impactful, inclusive and public interest reporting of the electoral processes and the 2023 elections.

He further noted that strengthening the media for fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of electoral processes will consolidate democracy.

He, therefore, tasked female journalists to make use of the skills acquired in the two days training to combat fake news, provide civic and voter education and inspire other forms of engagement with the media that encourage the people, particularly the underrepresented groups like women, youths, and persons with disabilities to vote and be voted for.

He further urged participants to at the end of the workshop interrogate issues such as the next step after the training.

The IPC boss stated, “The investment of the EU-SDG Nll and the efforts of the IPC in putting together this workshop would only be deemed productive if in the aftermath we are able to identify the impact of your work on the Electoral processes and the 2023 elections in visible and significant ways.”

In her remarks, Comrade Ladi Bala, President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) appreciated the efforts of IPC in building the capacity of female Journalists and the EU for bringing effective development partnerships to Nigeria.

She noted that the media is an integral part of society and with strategic roles to play in the Electoral process and hoped that the training will help expose Journalists to the dynamics of the Electoral process as well as strengthen their skills in churning out balanced and objective reports during the elections.

The NAWOJ President stated, “The long walk of commitment and the concerted efforts we all made together have yielded results. Let us put our minds to this training and join all other well meaning people as agents of change in promoting good governance, to see a paradigm shift in the Electoral process and Governance in Nigeria. “
Facilitators at the training, included Mrs Moji Makanjuola, CEO, International Society of Media in Public Health, David Ajikobi, Nigeria Editor, Africa Check and Taiwo Obe, Founder, Journalism Clinic.

They took participants through an intensive training on Fact-Checking, how to fact check political claims, and various media and online tools to be deployed in accurate fact checking, Electoral Processes and the 2023 Elections, according priority on women and other underrepresented, Reporting in the Public Interest , Conflict Sensitivity and Safety in Election Reporting, and Conceptual Clarifications in Electoral Processes, among others.

The Project is targeted at building the capacity of 140 female journalists across the nation on election reporting, and participants will be required to pitch stories around the elections and get editorial mentorship and assistance while doing so.

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

13 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

18 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

19 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.