VICE President Kashim Shettima and Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi have urged Nigerian editors and media practitioners to strengthen professional journalism, promote credible information and intensify efforts to detect and counter disinformation, particularly as the country approaches another election cycle.
News Point Nigeria reports that the two leaders made the call in goodwill messages delivered to the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC), organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu from September 23 to 27, 2026.
Shettima, who was unable to attend the conference because of what he described as “other pressing responsibilities of state,” said he had looked forward to being in Enugu, adding that the media remained indispensable to Nigeria’s national journey. His message was addressed to NGE President, Eze Anaba, distinguished editors and other participants at the conference.
He said the theme of the conference, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” could hardly have been more timely, stressing that as Nigeria approaches another election cycle, the responsibility of the media becomes even more consequential.
According to him, the ballot gives citizens a voice, but that voice can only be meaningful when citizens have access to credible information upon which to base their choices.
Shettima said the media had earned its place as the fourth estate of the realm because of its role in interrogating power, informing citizens, shaping public debate and preserving the institutional memory of the nation.
He noted that Nigeria’s democratic journey owed much to journalists and editors who, sometimes at considerable personal cost, insisted that the public deserved to know.
The Vice President said that responsibility had become even more demanding in the age of artificial intelligence, noting that the conference sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election,” addressed one of the defining challenges of the present time.
He said when technology could manufacture convincing falsehoods at unprecedented speed, professional journalism became more important rather than less important, adding that the editor remained a crucial gatekeeper between information and manipulation.
Shettima, however, urged editors that while scrutinising government, they should also continue to tell the full story of Nigeria, including areas where progress was being recorded.
He said the reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration had required difficult choices but were beginning to produce encouraging signs, citing economic growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2025.
He noted that growth was recorded across agriculture, manufacturing, oil and gas, and services, while inflation had also moderated substantially from levels recorded earlier in the reform period.
The Vice President, however, acknowledged that the real test remained what those improvements meant for the cost of living and purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians.
“These numbers give us reason for confidence, but not for complacency,” Shettima said, adding that President Tinubu’s objective was clear: macroeconomic stability must translate into jobs, stronger businesses, greater purchasing power and a better quality of life for Nigerians.
“That work continues, and we are confident that, with sustained reforms, the trajectory can only get better,” he added.
Shettima said government and the media would not always agree, stressing that they should not necessarily do so, because democracy was strengthened when disagreement was informed by facts, exercised responsibly and conducted in good faith.
He said what should unite government and the media was the greater Nigerian project.
The Vice President commended the Nigerian Guild of Editors for sustaining the conference and choosing a subject that, according to him, went to the heart of the survival of Nigeria’s democracy.
He wished the editors fruitful deliberations and a successful 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference, before concluding with prayers for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Also speaking in his goodwill message, Governor Umar Namadi said he was deeply honoured and delighted to join the Nigerian Guild of Editors at what he described as the foremost gathering of editors-in-chief and senior media leaders from across Nigeria.
Namadi thanked the Guild’s Executive Council for the invitation, saying the annual convention brought together leading figures in the media industry and underscored the vital role of editorial leadership in shaping public discourse, strengthening democratic governance and advancing national development.
He congratulated the President, Standing Committee and entire membership of the NGE for sustaining the All Nigeria Editors Conference as one of Nigeria’s most respected platforms for professional reflection, constructive dialogue and the strengthening of ethical standards in journalism.
The governor recalled that since its inauguration in Ada, Osun State, in 2004, the conference had remained a proud tradition of the Guild, promoting professional excellence, defending press freedom, strengthening editorial integrity and deepening national conversation on democracy, governance and development for 22 years.
Namadi also saluted the outstanding leaders who helped shape the Guild’s legacy, including its founding President, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, of blessed memory, as well as Prince Tony Momoh, Chris Okolie, Ray Ekpu, Garba Shehu, Oluremi Oyo and Bala Dan Tiye, during whose tenure the Annual All Nigeria Editors Conference began.
He acknowledged all succeeding presidents who sustained the tradition and commended the current President, Eze Anaba, for building on the distinguished legacy and ensuring that the Guild remained committed to professionalism, integrity, press freedom and national service.
According to Namadi, the Nigerian Guild of Editors came into being in 1961, only a year after Nigeria gained independence, and had since developed into a professional institution committed to public reason, civic responsibility, press freedom and democratic accountability.
He said the Guild had, from its earliest days, brought together editorial leaders who understood that journalism, in its authentic essence, was principled and not merely a trade, but a solemn public duty.
“In its defence, some may even have paid the ultimate price rather than compromise its ideals,” he said.
Namadi said it was against this distinguished legacy that editors had gathered in Enugu to reflect on the media’s continuing responsibility to Nigeria’s democracy and national development.
He commended the Government and people of Enugu State for hosting the conference, describing Enugu, with its special place in Nigeria’s political, cultural and media history, as a fitting setting for editors from across the federation to consider the future of journalism and its role in strengthening democracy, development and national cohesion.
The governor said he was particularly excited by the choice of the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” describing it as both timely and profound.
He said the sub-theme, “When Lies Look Real,” was equally compelling, warning that in an era of digital transformation, AI-based disinformation had become one of the most serious threats to modern democracy.
According to him, AI-based disinformation can imitate reality, manipulate public opinion, inflame tensions and undermine confidence in electoral outcomes.
He noted that artificial intelligence, image-editing software and other emerging ICT tools could now generate and manipulate text, images, audio and video so convincingly that falsehood could readily appear true.
He therefore called for editors and citizens to be equipped to detect and debunk disinformation, particularly before, during and after elections.
Namadi said credible elections depended not only on the ballot box but also on well-informed citizens who could make choices free from deceptive narratives, lies that looked real or AI-generated falsehoods designed to appear real.
He said the media therefore had a vital responsibility to provide accurate and objective reporting before, during and after every electoral contest.
To perform this role effectively, he urged the media to strengthen fact-checking and verification, uphold professional ethics and equip journalists to detect and counter disinformation without compromising editorial independence.
The governor described the press as one of the strongest pillars of Nigeria’s democracy, saying that at every decisive moment in the country’s journey, the media had helped to inform citizens, interrogate power, defend the public interest and give voice to the aspirations of ordinary people.
He said the work of journalists went beyond reporting events, as it also fostered peace, unity and national cohesion, deepened public understanding, promoted accountability and reinforced society’s moral foundations.
“All these are all essential to democratic governance in which citizens are well-informed, institutions are held accountable, and the rule of law prevails,” he said.
Namadi said the enormous burden on editors had become even more critical in an era of rapid technological change, where journalism was significantly facilitated by information and communication technology.
He noted that while managing newsrooms, the editor was also the final line of defence for accuracy, fairness, balance, ethics and national responsibility, particularly when false information was designed to look credible and travel faster than the truth.
He therefore urged Nigerian media organisations to continue investing in verification systems, newsroom fact-checking capacity, media literacy, ethical use of technology and collaboration across platforms to detect and debunk harmful disinformation early.
“For me, the challenge before editors should not be about ‘breaking news,’ – who breaks the news first – but about ensuring responsible publishing, protecting the truth, and helping citizens understand it with clarity and confidence,” Namadi said.
He further urged the Guild to promote integrity, courage, restraint and a deep sense of national responsibility within the profession.
He said while the Guild celebrated excellence, it must also hold erring members accountable and uphold the ethical standards that gave journalism its honour.
According to him, the power of the pen, and today, the keyboard, was profound, as it could inform, enlighten, reconcile and advance development, but could also spread malice and falsehood, deepen hatred and sow discord among individuals, communities, institutions and nations.
The Jigawa governor also called for greater regulation of the social media space to minimise the spread of falsehood, noting that Nigeria already had relevant laws.
He cited Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, as amended in 2024, which criminalises knowingly false online messages intended to cause a breakdown of law and order or threaten life.
He also cited Section 123 of the Electoral Act 2022, which prohibits specified false statements about candidates and their withdrawal during elections.
“Our task, therefore, is to strengthen public awareness, ensure fair and consistent enforcement, and close any gaps through clear, proportionate, and rights-respecting measures,” Namadi said.
He stressed that such measures must deter deliberate falsehood, incitement and character assassination without imperilling legitimate expression or press freedom.
Beyond legislation, he called for government and the media to work together on sustained information, education and communication programmes that strengthen media and digital literacy, promote responsible citizenship, expand fact-checking and public awareness, and equip citizens to identify and reject disinformation.
He said such collaboration would translate the concerns raised by the conference theme and sub-theme into practical action while preserving legitimate expression and rebuilding trust in public institutions and the democratic process.
Namadi said Jigawa State’s Gwamnati da Jama’a (Citizens’ Engagement) Programme provided practical expression to the theme of the conference by taking government directly to citizens across all 27 Local Government Areas.
He explained that elected officials present their scorecards, answer questions and translate public feedback into budgetary and policy priorities.
According to him, by widening access to verified information and creating regular channels for dialogue, the programme strengthens accountability and public trust.
He said these were vital safeguards at a time when digitally manufactured falsehoods could easily distort democratic choice.
Building on the citizen engagement and public trust fostered by the initiative, Namadi said the state’s proposed Digital Social Responsibility Programme would complement the Mass Mobilisation for Societal Reorientation Executive Order No. 2 of 2026, which he said he had signed.
He said the programme would promote digital literacy, ethical communication, civic responsibility and constructive engagement, which he described as essential foundations for peace, unity, social cohesion, good governance and democratic resilience.
Namadi expressed hope that the conference would advance pragmatic ways for the media to uphold professionalism in the digital era, champion truth, reject divisive narratives and strengthen national unity.
On behalf of the Government and people of Jigawa State, he congratulated the Nigerian Guild of Editors on ANEC 2026 and wished all delegates fruitful deliberations, renewed professional commitment and safe journeys home.
He prayed that the conference would deepen public trust and the shared commitment to an informed, united and democratic Nigeria, before concluding with “Wassalam Alaikum.”