IMO State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, on Wednesday, said elections are won when voters trust the outcome of the exercise.
He stated this at the 2025 All Nigerian Editors Conference, which held in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
“The reality heading into 2027 is that elections are won and lost not only on policies or candidates but on whether voters believe the outcome will be legitimate.
“That belief is shaped by whether they have been hearing fragmented, tribal narratives or cohesive, nation-building ones. And that is an editorial choice you make daily,” he stated.
Uzodimma, who is also the Chairman of the All Progressives Governors’ Forum, charged journalists, especially editors, to always abide by the code of ethics of the profession.
He saluted the efforts of Nigerian editors over time, saying they have accomplished much that deserves recognition.
The governor cited instances where media practitioners had used their newsrooms to produce investigative journalists who exposed corruption.
“You have published reports that held power accountable. Through your coverage, you have amplified marginalised voices.
“These contributions matter, and they are essential to democracy. But what is often missing is journalism that actively builds cohesion, not just reports on its absence.
“There is a difference between neutrally documenting division and actively choosing narratives that remind Nigerians of shared values, shared stakes, and a shared future,” the Imo governor said.
“You report on ethnic tension, regional disparities, and religious conflict; as you should. But how often do your editorial choices highlight what binds us rather than what divides us?
“None of this requires abandoning your watchdog function. You can hold the government accountable and avoid framing every accountability story as evidence of irredeemable dysfunction. You can report electoral irregularities and avoid suggesting that the entire system is corrupt.
“You can cover political competition and remind citizens that competitors will govern the same country afterwards,” Uzodimma added.
He also called on editors to be active catalysts of the cohesion that democracy requires to function ahead of the 2027 general elections.
