NGE Blasts Nation Newspaper Over Editorial On Peter Obi’s Attendance At Conference

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has denied allegations of partisanship over the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Enugu and urged Nation Newspaper to apologise over its editorial on the conference.

The Guild was reacting to an editorial published by the newspaper on October 8, 2026, titled “Journalists Failed Journalism,” which questioned the NGE’s conduct over the participation of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Prof. Pat Utomi, a chieftain of the party, at the conference.

In a statement signed by the NGE President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, the Guild said the editorial made serious allegations against its leadership, including the suggestion that the NGE acted in a partisan manner by allowing Obi and Utomi to address editors at the conference.

The Guild said the conclusion was not supported by the facts, stressing that ANEC 2026 was a professional gathering of editors and other stakeholders devoted to interrogating critical issues concerning democracy, elections, the media, artificial intelligence, disinformation and the future of Nigeria.

According to the NGE, the conference programme specifically provided for an “Executive Session” on the second day, designed to feature governors, political party chairmen, heads of government agencies and parastatals and other stakeholders.

It said the purpose of the session was to provide a platform for engagement between the media and key actors in Nigeria’s political and public space.

The Guild said it officially invited political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and NDC, to participate in the relevant engagement.

It listed the APC chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yelwatda; ADC chairman, Senator David Mark; and NDC chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, among those invited.

The NGE said the invitations were followed by reminders, adding that Anaba personally spoke with Yelwatda and ADC Vice-Presidential candidate, Chibuike Amaechi, in connection with participation at the conference.

It added that Ukeh personally 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,” the Guild said.

The NGE questioned whether the absence of some invited political figures should have prevented a candidate who was available and willing to attend from participating.

“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?” it asked.

The Guild acknowledged the right of Nation Newspaper and other media organisations to scrutinise its activities and express editorial opinions about the conduct of the conference.

It said such scrutiny was an important part of the accountability expected of professional institutions, including the media.

However, the NGE said the editorial ignored the broader range of political and governmental voices that featured at the conference.

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

It also pointed out that Vice President Kashim Shettima addressed 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 also rejected the description of Obi’s appearance as an “ambush”, arguing that 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,” it said.

The Guild described as “particularly unfortunate” the newspaper’s reference to its conduct as an “impunity of silence.”

It argued that the conference was a public professional gathering attended by hundreds of editors, journalists and stakeholders.

The NGE said the fact that Nation Newspaper or another newspaper chose not to report an occurrence did not make it secret or establish professional misconduct.

The Guild reaffirmed its commitment to providing 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,” the Guild said.

The NGE called on Nation Newspaper’s Editorial Board to acknowledge what it described as omissions in its editorial, correct the “misleading impressions” and offer an apology to the Guild and its leadership.