By Alex Abutu
The year 2023 has a lot of packages for Nigerians. We would elect a new president, already President Muhammadu Buhari has given his last January 1 speech in which he said he did his best for Nigeria but that would be a topic for another day.
The presidential candidates are moving from one state to another campaigning, but the big question is what are they saying? What promises are they making? How does it differ from what we have been hearing before? More importantly are the people even listening? I hope their campaign promises and talks are not repetition of the past.
What are they talking about education, agriculture, climate change, oil bunkering, rural development, electricity, gas supply, railway penetration and unemployment?
I tried as much as possible to follow the speeches and campaign promises of the candidates but the above issues are not reflecting in their speeches. They are, as usual, giving bogus and uncoordinated promises which would not be achieved even if they stay in office for 20 years.
Where is the fourth estate of the realm who are supposed to be the gate keepers, monitors, and agenda setters for the society? What has happened that journalists are not performing these fundamental roles by beaming searchlight on the candidates for the benefit of the society?
Today in Nigeria, the social media operated by the citizens who have no idea what the rules and ethics of journalism are the ones setting and dictating the phase of discussion in the society.
A case in point is the recent accusation between a member of the House of Representatives and the CBN Governor. The accusations are mind-blowing and Nigerians have been kept in the dark while the social media operators are feasting on the news and circulating uncoordinated and unverified reports and the larger society is looking up to mainstream media to provide copious, analytical insight, and a thoroughly researched commentary but this is not coming, and the society is disappointed.
Has any journalist thoroughly investigated the readiness of INEC for the 2023 election? INEC is introducing a lot of changes in the electoral process, how well is our rural populace educated on these changes?
In other places, leading national media houses would have started conducting polls but in Nigeria today polls are being conducted by guys on social media, again leaving people wondering where the mainstream media guys are.
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There are many tenets of journalism that emphasize thorough investigation and insist one does not publish if in doubt. But today, they even publish what they do not even understand and they are quick without shame to retract what they have published and that is not good journalism. They also let politicians use them to publish frivolous promises and statements that in fact do not exist.
So, rather than being the gatekeepers and agenda setters journalists no longer stick to their primary roles.
As we enter 2023, may our journalists lead discussions that would bring about good governance and question the integrity and aspiration of our candidates.
The question on why you want to rule has not been put to our candidates but journalists are dancing around and asking obvious questions that the answers are already known leaving thebsociety amazed.
As we match into the election, Nigerians expect more from our journalists and this is obligatory. Journalists do not have to let down this expectation.
Buhari in his last January 1 message to Nigerians said he did his best for the country. People are looking forward to analytical articles that would x-ray his achievements vis- a- vis the promises he made during his campaign.
President Buhari got the most votes in the history of Nigeria election but do his achievements commensurate with the promises he made to Nigerians? This is where journalism should have a place and present to Nigerians if Buhari’s best are good enough or not.
Today the campaigns are dominated by achievements of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as governor of Lagos State, Peter Obi as governor of Anambra State, Rabiu Kwankwaso as governor of Kano State and Atiku Abubakar as vice president of Nigeria.
Yes, it is important for us to look back as that would help us but that should not be our focus on determining who rules the nation.
