By Danjuma katsina
@ katsina times
The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen transparency, improve public access to electoral information and ensure credible elections in 2027.
The Guild also urged media organisations to prioritise accuracy over speed, reject sensationalism and refrain from publishing unverified election results, warning that misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes pose serious threats to the electoral process.
These were among the major resolutions contained in a communiqué issued at the end of GOCOP's 10th Annual Conference, held on October 7 and 8, 2026, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The conference, themed "2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities," brought together media professionals, policymakers, academics, security officials, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to discuss the responsibilities of different institutions in ensuring credible elections.
The conference was chaired by Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, while the keynote address was delivered by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN.
Other discussants included CP Abayomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Force Headquarters, Abuja; Prof. Tayo Popoola of the University of Lagos; Dr Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack, founder of WEWE Network Afrique; and Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre.
In the communiqué signed by GOCOP President, Danlami Nmodu, mni, and General Secretary, Sufuyan Ojeifo, the Guild identified public trust as a decisive factor in determining the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
It noted that confidence in Nigeria's electoral process remained low, citing a survey presented at the conference which indicated that only 38 per cent of Nigerians believed in the credibility of elections.
According to the Guild, technological innovations alone cannot guarantee credible elections without transparency, institutional accountability and public confidence.
The conference acknowledged INEC's preparations for the 2027 elections, including proposed technological and logistical improvements, enhanced result-integrity systems, artificial intelligence-assisted data auditing and cybersecurity measures.
However, it stressed the need for the commission to match its assurances with verifiable results by regularly publishing information on election logistics, technology testing and result-management procedures.
GOCOP also called on INEC to activate its proposed Digital Media Fact-Verification Channel to enable editors to confirm reports about field operations, security incidents and technical challenges before publication.
The Guild further urged the commission to translate the Electoral Act, regulations and voter-education materials into major Nigerian languages, while maintaining accessible formats for persons with disabilities.
It observed that the continued publication of electoral laws and guidelines exclusively in English could exclude many Nigerians from fully understanding the electoral process in a country with about 250 ethnic groups.
GOCOP Warns Against Fake News, AI-Generated Content
The conference described information disorder, including fake news, unverified leaks, manipulated media and AI-generated deepfakes, as a serious threat to the 2027 elections.
It warned that such content could inflame political divisions, discourage voter participation and undermine public confidence in electoral institutions.
The Guild consequently directed its members to publish only verified election information, stressing that unconfirmed polling-unit results, altered result sheets and inflammatory speculation had no place on their platforms.
It also pledged to enforce its professional code against members who violate the Guild's standards.
The communiqué emphasised that journalists must prioritise accuracy, fairness, balance and objectivity in election reporting, regardless of political, commercial or proprietorial interests.
It added that operational delays during elections should be reported with appropriate context and official verification rather than presented as automatic evidence of a systemic collapse.
The conference also endorsed a proposed three-point pact by INEC covering fact-verification, editorial self-regulation and voter education.
GOCOP said its Executive Council would engage the commission on implementing the pact without compromising the editorial independence of its members.
Guild Seeks Legal Clarification on Election Reporting
Another major resolution concerned the legal framework governing media reporting of election results, exit polls, projections and independent tallies.
The conference noted that questions remained about the relationship between Section 60 of the Electoral Act 2026 and Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom to receive and impart information.
It therefore recommended that the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), GOCOP and other media organisations seek judicial interpretation to clarify what the media may lawfully report in such circumstances.
The Guild maintained that although freedom of information is fundamental to democratic governance, it carries a corresponding responsibility to verify information before dissemination.
Electoral Offences and Women's Participation
The conference expressed concern over what it described as weak accountability for electoral offences, noting that the limited prosecution of offenders could encourage impunity.
It called on INEC to collaborate with relevant prosecuting authorities to ensure that electoral offenders are prosecuted and the outcomes of such cases made public.
The Guild also raised concerns about the low level of women's participation in electoral politics, particularly during the selection of candidates by political parties.
It argued that opaque consensus arrangements often exclude women from the process and warned that current trends could result in fewer women being elected in 2027.
The conference consequently called on the National Assembly to enact legislation aimed at increasing women's participation and representation in the electoral process.
Political parties were also urged to adopt open and transparent procedures for selecting candidates and abandon practices that systematically disadvantage women.
Cost of Living Identified as Major Election Issue
The conference identified the cost of living as a leading issue likely to influence voters' decisions in the 2027 elections.
It observed that conflicting narratives surrounding fuel subsidy removal and domestic crude pricing had left many voters unclear about the positions of political candidates.
The Guild therefore called on the Federal Government and relevant agencies to provide a clear and authoritative explanation of fuel subsidy policy and domestic crude pricing to help citizens make informed electoral choices.
It also urged political parties and candidates to focus their campaigns on issues affecting citizens' welfare rather than resorting to disinformation, inflammatory rhetoric or incitement.
In his welcome address, GOCOP President Danlami Nmodu urged politicians to put the interests of the people first and ensure that government policies translated into improved living conditions.
He also charged journalists to hold both the government and opposition accountable through accurate, fair, balanced and objective reporting.
Nmodu called on the government to sustain its partnership with GOCOP and the Nigerian Press Organisation to safeguard the media and protect the interests of publishers and journalists in the digital age.
Police, Citizens Urged to Play Active Roles
On election security, the conference acknowledged reports by the Nigeria Police Force indicating that elections conducted since February 2026 had been relatively peaceful, with no shootings, attributing the development to intelligence-led operations.
It urged the police and other security agencies to sustain lawful, non-partisan and intelligence-driven security arrangements throughout the 2027 electoral cycle.
The Guild also reminded Nigerians that they were stakeholders in the country's democratic process and should not abstain from voting only to express dissatisfaction with the outcome afterwards.
Citizens were urged to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), participate in elections, define their expectations of elected representatives and hold public institutions accountable throughout the electoral cycle.
The communiqué noted that nationwide PVC collection was scheduled to commence on October 9, 2026, describing the development as a significant step in the countdown to the general elections.
It also cited Botswana's 2024 political transition, during which the Botswana Democratic Party relinquished power after 58 years, as an example of what trusted democratic institutions could achieve in Africa.
GOCOP Reaffirms Commitment to Responsible Journalism
The Guild reaffirmed its commitment to credible and responsible election coverage through its 127 member publications, promising to provide verified, fair and balanced reporting before, during and after the 2027 elections.
It stressed that credible elections could not be achieved by INEC or any single institution alone, but required collective responsibility among electoral authorities, security agencies, political parties, the media and citizens.
The two-day conference featured capacity-building sessions on newsroom sustainability, artificial intelligence in online publishing and digital media monetisation, alongside the Guild's Annual General Meeting.
GOCOP expressed appreciation to the keynote speaker, conference chairman, Governor of Imo State, panellists, partners and sponsors from the public and private sectors for their contributions and support towards sustaining the annual conference.
The communiqué was issued in Lagos on October 10, 2026, and signed by Nmodu and Ojeifo on behalf of the Guild.
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