IPC Launches Media Election IOS Web App

The International Press Center, IPC, has launched a digitalized IOS Web App on media election code, with a call on the Federal Government to deepen democratic dividends by fulfilling all its campaign promises.

Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, made the call during a media and CSOs stakeholders roundtable on documented Campaign promises of President Bola Tinubu In Abuja.

Mr Arogundade also tasked Media professionals to effectively educate the cItizens and monitor the activities of government, to enable the people demand for fulfilment of campaign promises.

“This days we talk of solution driven journalism, but you can’t have a solution when you don’t pick promises, follow them up and ensure that they are actually implemented and also ask questions if there are challenges of implementation or changes in the plan.

“During the campaigns, we were documenting the campaign promises of all the presidential candidates. Normally it is IPC’s tradition to publish that of the President, so that we can look at this promises in our respective beats on how they are being Implemented”.
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According to him, the essence of the digitalized IOS Web App, is part of the commitment of International Press Center to ensure that the code of conduct for election media coverage gets to all Journalists, researchers, including Mass Communication students in tertiary institutions.

Making his presentation on the role of citizens and the media in ensuring democratic accountability, the Founding Executive Director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, was of the opinion that democracy still remained the best form of governance, and that prioritizing accountability promotes good governance, prevents corruption and abuse of power.

Dr Otive further explained that lack of accountability often lead to struggle for social justice, urged Journalists to utilize the available tools like the Freedom of Information Act in setting political agenda and analysing progress made in various sectors, to hold the government accountable.

“governance is more complex than making campaign promises. It places responsibility on you and it becomes mandatory that you explain to the masses if you cannot fulfil your promises to them” Otive said.

Responding to questions at the forum, Media Aide to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr. Tunde Rahman, represented by Ayo Oyalowo, said the present administration would do all within it’s power to ensure full implemention of all its campaign promises in all sectors .

Mr Rahman further assured that the present administration will improve on all the good policies of the previous administration, adding that plans were on, to make Nigeria more of an exporting nation than an importing one.

Also, Executive Director, Institute of Media and Society, IMS, Dr. Akin Akingbulu, encouraged citizens to leverage on the IPC IOS Web App to
effectively monitor and evaluate the delivery of the present administration’s campaign promises to the people.