2026 Governorship Poll: IPC and CEMESO Train Osun Journalists On Digital Safety, Others

2026 Governorship Election: IPC, CEMESO Train Osun Journalists On Digital Safety, Cybersecurity, Others

Ahead of the August 15 Governorship Election in Osun State, the International Press Centre (IPC),
in partnership with the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) under the European Union Support to
Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II) Programme – Component 4 (Support to Media), has trained
more than 45 journalists in a capacity-building programme on digital rights, cybersecurity, and ethical
election reporting.

The virtual training, held on Thursday, focused on strengthening journalists’ capacity to report elections
safely, responsibly, and professionally in an increasingly digital information environment.

Discussions examined key issues including digital rights and freedom of expression during elections,
cybersecurity and online safety for journalists, responsible election reporting in the digital age, and strategies for promoting credible election coverage.

Speaking during the opening session, Lanre Arogundade urged journalists to prioritise digital safety
and responsible reporting as essential elements of election coverage.

“As elections increasingly unfold in digital spaces, media professionals must strengthen their ability
to verify information, protect themselves against cyber threats, and uphold ethical standards that promote
public trust in the electoral process,” Arogundade said.

Also addressing participants, Akin Akingbulu emphasised the media’s responsibility in safeguarding the
integrity of Nigeria’s information ecosystem.

He warned that misinformation, disinformation, AI-generated deepfakes, and coordinated online manipulation
now pose significant threats to democratic processes, stressing that journalists must remain vigilant in
verifying election-related information before publication.

Participants were also taken through expert sessions facilitated by Tracy Ekene Keshi and Dr. Rasheed Adebiyi,
a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Fountain University, Osogbo.

The facilitators equipped the journalists with practical skills on protecting digital rights, improving
cybersecurity awareness, verifying election information, countering misinformation, and balancing speed
with accuracy while reporting the forthcoming governorship election.

According to the organisers, the training forms part of ongoing efforts by IPC and CEMESO to strengthen
media professionalism, enhance digital resilience, and promote fair, accurate, ethical, and inclusive
election coverage in Nigeria.

The programme also highlighted the importance of fact-checking in protecting the credibility of the
electoral process. Participants were encouraged to utilise dedicated fact-checking platforms, including
Nigeria Democratic Report (NDR) FactCheck and HaltFake, to verify election-related claims and combat the spread of false information before, during, and after the poll.