Public Affairs Correspondents Association of Nigeria (PACAN) has urged political parties and candidates to make issue-based campaigns the centre of their activities ahead of next year’s general election.
It gave the advice in a statement by its President, Mr. Idris Tele-Olukoya and General Secretary, Mr Adekunle Okunade, in Lagos.
The association enjoined candidates to present their manifestos, policies and programmes rather than resorting to insults, name-calling and personal attacks.
It said political campaigns should provide Nigerians with clear information on how candidates intended to address challenges confronting the country, including insecurity, unemployment, education, health care, infrastructure and economic development.
According to the group, the increasing use of inflammatory language, character assassination and unsubstantiated allegations could distract the electorate from substantive issues and undermine the quality of democratic discourse.
PACAN appealed to political parties and their supporters to desist from recruiting or using youths as political thugs, stressing that young Nigerians should be engaged as legitimate participants in democratic processes, rather than being exposed to violence.
‘Parties should see Nigerian youths as partners in nation-building and not instruments for violence, intimidation or disruption of political activities,’ PACAN said.
It urged candidates and their supporters to avoid hate speech, ethnic or religious provocation, misinformation and other forms of communication capable of creating tension among citizens.
The association said political disagreements were normal in a democracy, but should be expressed through constructive debates, policy comparisons and respectful engagement, rather than attacks on the personality, family, ethnicity or religion of opponents.
‘Candidates should tell Nigerians what they intend to do differently, how they will achieve it and how their proposed policies will improve the lives of citizens,’ PACAN said.
The association said the media also have important responsibility to promote responsible political communication by giving adequate attention to manifestos, policy proposals and candidates’ records, while subjecting questionable claims to verification.
It urged political correspondents and other journalists covering the 2027 elections to remain professional, factual and balanced in their reportage, noting that responsible journalism was essential to informed participation in the electoral process.