NGE Replies The Nation, Rejects Partisanship Allegation, Demands Apology

***• Says invitations sent to APC, ADC, NDC leaders ***

• Insists platform also given to officials from Tinubu’s government

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) yesterday rejected allegations of partisanship made against it by The Nation newspaper over the participation of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and renowned political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi at the recently concluded All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Enugu.

The group maintained that the conference only provided a professional platform for engagement with political and public actors across the divide, insisting that aside from the NDC and its candidate, other key players in the run-up to the 2027 poll were also invited.

The Guild, in a statement signed by its President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, also demanded an apology from The Nation’s editorial board over what it described as misleading impressions created by the newspaper’s October 8 editorial, titled “Journalists Failed Journalism”.

The NGE said the editorial made serious allegations against the Guild and its leadership, particularly the suggestion that it acted in a partisan manner by allowing Obi, and Utomi, a chieftain of the NDC, to address editors at the conference.

However, the Anaba-led group pointed out that the conclusion was not supported by the facts surrounding the organisation and conduct of the conference.

According to the NGE, the programme specifically provided for an ‘executive session’ on the second day, with governors, political party chairmen, heads of government agencies and parastatals and other stakeholders expected to participate.

It said the purpose of the session was to provide a platform for interaction between the media and key actors in Nigeria’s political and public space, arguing that isolating the appearance of one political figure from the wider programme and character of the conference was misleading.

The Guild said it had, in fact, formally invited the leadership of the three political parties at the centre of the 2027 political contest.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Guild officially invited political parties, including the chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe to participate in the relevant engagement. The invitations were not simply sent and abandoned, but reminders were also sent,” it said.

The Guild added that its leadership made personal efforts to ensure wider political representation at the conference.

It said Anaba personally spoke with Yilwatda and the ADC vice presidential candidate, Chibuike Amaechi, in connection with participation at the conference, while Ukeh followed up with Paul Ibe, media aide to the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to encourage the participation of the party and its leaders.

“These are verifiable facts. They fundamentally undermine the central premise of The Nation’s editorial. If the Guild duly invited the political parties, sent reminders and personally followed up with their leaders and representatives, and some of those invited chose not to attend, should it prevent a candidate who was available and willing to attend from participating?” the Guild asked.

It also rejected the suggestion that the conference was tilted towards opposition political voices, pointing to the participation of senior officials and representatives of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The NGE said that Tunde Rahman, media adviser to the President, spoke at the conference on the administration, while the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, was represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

It added that Vice President Kashim Shettima also addressed the editors virtually from the United States. “These engagements demonstrate the very opposite of the partisan picture painted by the editorial,” the Guild said.

The NGE equally rejected The Nation’s description of Obi’s appearance at the conference as an “ambush”, stressing that he attended a professional gathering at which hundreds of editors, journalists and other stakeholders were present.

It said there was a clear distinction between providing an opportunity for political engagement and endorsing a political position.

“The description of Mr Peter Obi’s appearance as an ‘ambush’ is therefore misplaced. He attended a professional conference at which hundreds of editors and stakeholders were present. There is a fundamental distinction between providing a platform for engagement and supporting a political position,” the Guild said.

The Guild also took exception to the editorial’s characterisation of its conduct as an “impunity of silence”, arguing that the conference was neither secret nor conducted outside the knowledge of the media.

“The conference was a public professional gathering attended by hundreds of editors, journalists and stakeholders. The fact that The Nation or another newspaper chose not to report an occurrence does not make that occurrence secret, nor does it establish professional misconduct,” it said.

The NGE said it recognised the right of The Nation and other media organisations to scrutinise its activities and express editorial opinions on the conduct of the conference, describing such scrutiny as an important aspect of accountability expected of professional institutions.

It nevertheless maintained that criticism should be based on the full facts of an event.

“The NGE remains committed to its professional responsibilities and to the principles of journalism that have guided it throughout its history. It will continue to provide platforms for robust and independent engagement with political actors, public officials, civil society organisations, electoral institutions and other stakeholders, without fear or favour. That is not partisanship. That is journalism,” it said.

Besides, the Guild called on The Nation editorial board to acknowledge what it described as ‘omissions’ in its editorial and correct the impressions it said were created by the publication.

“Now that the facts have been placed on record, the NGE expects The Nation newspaper’s Editorial Board, to acknowledge the omissions in its editorial, correct the misleading impressions, and offer an apology to the Guild and its leadership,” it said.