The need to structure elections to allow essential workers partake has been brought to the fore. A participant at the town hall meeting organized by the Nigerian Union of journalists,FCT chapter Mrs Chizoba Ogbeche lamented the fact that while answering the call of duty, many journalists, health workers, security personnel and other essential workers lose the chance to exercise their civic rights.
Panelists took turns to analyze the democratic process in Nigeria and provide insight as to how the process can be enhanced.
Dr Joseph Ochogu called for evolutionary democracy as against revolutionary democracy being advocated by the youth.He harped on the need to transform the energy put into elections into governance.
. According to him, journalists should break conspiracy against the people in keeping with their role as a critical voice.
Another panelist, a former NUJ chairman,Amos Duniya pointed out that politicians own media houses and have infiltrated into main stream journalism . As a result,reports are sometimes skewed in their favor and their attrocities covered . He said NUJ conducts redible elections. adding that the media has played it’s watchdog role well.
On her part , panelist Kemi Yesufu fielding questions, said it is important to have a confluence between social media and real life reportage. She said social media has played an important role during the recent general elections, a positive role in spurring people to come out to vote and a negative one in condemning the entire process.
Participants raised various concerns bordering on the anomalies and flaws that characterized the just concluded general elections and questioned the growth and development of Nigeria’s democracy.
In his closing remarks,the Chairman,NUJ FCT council Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche encouraged participants not to give up on Nigeria’s democracy but to continue engaging in discussions that will bring about a turn around.He said the town hall meeting became necessary to uplift and share hope in the wake of the despondency that followed the elections.
The theme of the two town hall meeting is ‘Governance and citizen participation: Making democracy work’.
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