By Aliyu DANLADI
The Chairman of the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) in Rivers, Mr Chris Mbata, has called on journalists to be security conscious during the 2019 general elections.
He made the call on Tuesday in Port Harcourt while speaking at the Correspondent Week of the Nigeria Union Journalists in Rivers which had as theme: ” Promoting Security in 2019 Elections: The Role of the Media.”
Mbata, who was the Chairman of the occasion, said that freedom of speech remains a key ingredient of democracy.
He called on journalists to embark on voters education to sensitise them on their civic responsibilities.
Mbata also called on journalists to tackle quackery in order to earn dignity for their profession.
The Public Affairs Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) Mrs Geraldine Ekelemo, urged journalists to cross-check information before releasing to the public.
She also said that one of the challenges faced during elections was the late arrival of election materials due to certain locations in states.
The INEC spokesperson, however, said that the commission was putting in place measures to ensure that materials arrive on time.
In his remarks, Mr Precious Elekima, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in Rivers, said the role of the media was critical to the survival of democracy.
Elekima urged the media to be non-partisan before, during and after the 2019 general elections.
He also called on Nigerians not to mortgage their conscience by selling their votes to politicians.
“The only security I think we need in this country is the security of conscience.
” Freedom for our conscience to do what is right will give us all the security we need during and after the 2019 elections,” Elekima said.
