Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Dr. Adewole Adebayo has urged the media to ensure balanced coverage of political parties and their candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adebayo who made the call yesterday during a meeting with reporters in Abuja stressed the need for independent impartial and responsible reporting on issues affecting Nigerians.
He urged the media to give adequate attention to insecurity poverty corruption and democratic governance while providing different sides an opportunity to present their views.
According to him fair coverage of political parties and their candidates will enable Nigerians to access diverse opinions and make informed electoral choices.
He urged media houses to ensure that their coverage did not create the impression that only a few candidates were relevant in presidential elections.
Adebayo said the media and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had important roles in promoting credible elections adding that responsible reporting was essential to the democratic process.
He also urged the organisations to ensure that commercial interests did not compromise fair coverage of political parties and their programmes.
Reflecting on the SDP’s history Adebayo recalled the annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential election widely believed to have been won by the party.
He said the experience reinforced the party’s commitment to democratic governance and the right of Nigerians to choose their leaders through credible elections.
Adebayo urged political parties to present clear policy proposals to address the country’s challenges while the media should provide adequate platforms for public discussion of their manifestos.
The SDP candidate said the party’s vision was anchored on the principle that the primary responsibility of government was to ensure the security and welfare of the people.
According to him the SDP had published its 2027 presidential manifesto – Farewell to poverty and insecurity – in English Hausa Igbo and Yoruba as well as other languages to make its policies accessible to a wider audience.