Edo State Gubernatorial Election: 114 Media Houses Meet Accreditation Deadline

By Iyojo Ameh

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that one hundred and thirteen media houses has successfully met the approved deadline for media accreditation ahead of the Edo State gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.

In a recent statement, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had urged media organizations interested in covering the upcoming election to submit their applications and upload the personal details of their personnel by Thursday, September 5, 2024.

The timely compliance by the media organizations reflects a strong commitment to ensuring thorough and comprehensive coverage of the election.

The confirmation of the media accreditation was made known in a press release signed by Mr.

Sam Olumekun, mni, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to INEC, 114 newspapers, radio, television, and online media organizations successfully uploaded the details of 721 personnel who will be covering the election. These personnel include reporters, cameramen, engineers for live broadcasts, and support staff. The Commission has assured the public that the full list, including the number of personnel to be deployed by each media house, has been uploaded to its website and social media platforms for public information.

In addition to the media accreditation, INEC has emphasized its readiness to conduct a transparent and credible election in Edo State. The Commission has made significant preparations, including the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the deployment of election materials, and the training of ad-hoc staff. INEC has also assured that security arrangements have been put in place to ensure a peaceful election.

Furthermore, INEC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that all accredited media organizations, observers, and political party agents will have their accreditation tags ready ahead of the election. The Commission has also appealed to all accredited groups to adhere to the codes of professional ethics, the law, and INEC’s regulations and guidelines in their reportage and observation of processes and procedures before, during, and after the election.

“While assuring all accredited groups of unimpeded lawful access to voting and collation locations, we appeal to media organizations 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 Commission stated.