By EricJames Ochigbo
The African Parliamentary Advocacy and Reform Group (APARG) has charged Nigerian media practitioners to give additional coverage to National Assembly election, given the importance of legislature in a democracy.
The Team Lead of the group, Mr Chibuzo Okereke said this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that the national assembly was the symbol of democracy as well as an important institution that mirrored the democratic character of a nation.
“We note with interest the efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the media and other stakeholders to deliver a free, fair, transparent, peaceful and credible elections.
“APARG is, however, concerned about what appears to a deliberate suppression and low interest in the National Assembly campaigns, by the media and other stakeholders.
“Whereas, the media are saturated with the presidential rallies and media engagements, with presidential candidates and their policy documents in political programmes of major media organisations in Nigeria.
“However, little or no attention has been channeled toward the electoral campaigns for the national assembly; it is important to state that the national assembly election is as important as the presidential election,” he said.
Okereke said that the lawmakers at the national assembly performed multiple functions like oversight, confirmations, loan approvals, policy interventions, foreign relations, quasi-judicial functions and treaties domestication.
‘’Over the years election reports of accredited observer groups and the media have shown near complete disinterest for the national assembly election campaigns and election.
‘’The candidates for national assembly election usually make ultra-varies promises in their campaign trail that are outside their constitutional mandates as legislatures.
‘’This is promoting excessive clientelist relationship with voters, which often creates undue burden on the country’s governance systems.
‘’The challenge can be addressed through strategic mass campaigns and public education on the electorate across the constituencies,’’ he said.
He added: “We therefore, call on the national and community print, electronic media organisation and all relevant stakeholders, to use the remaining 15 days campaign window, to focus attention and consummate publicity on the National Assembly election.
“This is to highlight the important facts that no president in a constitutional democracy can successfully implement its policy agenda, without the presence of a functional, knowledgeable and consenting national assembly,” he said. (NAN)
