2027: Mbah, Onaiyekan headline NGE debate on election disinformation

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, will headline the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, where over 500 editors and media stakeholders will examine the growing threat of election disinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The conference, scheduled for September 24 and 25, will also examine the role of the media in protecting Nigeria’s democracy.

A statement jointly signed by the President and General Secretary of the NGE, Eze Anaba and Onuoha Ukeh, respectively, obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday, said the flagship annual gathering of the Guild would be held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

The conference will focus on the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”

The sub-theme is, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”

The Guild said the choice of theme reflected the urgency of strengthening democratic institutions and public confidence in the electoral process as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.

The Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe, will chair the conference, while Onaiyekan is expected to deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony on September 24.

The opening day’s programme will also examine the relationship between electoral justice, public trust and democratic stability.

Prof Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, is scheduled to speak on “Public Trust, Electoral Justice and Democratic Stability,” while Governor Mbah will address participants.

The Guild said the first day’s programme would also turn attention to the difficult balance between informing the public about terrorism and avoiding media practices that could inadvertently serve the interests of terrorist groups.

Ombudsman and Public Protector of ThisDay Newspapers, Kayode Komolafe, and veteran journalist and civil rights campaigner, Owei Lakemfa, will jointly present a paper titled, “Reporting Terrorism Without Becoming a Tool for Terrorists.”

The NGE said the conference would provide editors with an opportunity to interrogate some of the most consequential challenges confronting journalism and democratic governance, particularly as political actors increasingly deploy digital platforms to shape public opinion.

The second day will open with a presentation by the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), on “Election Petitions in the Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS and the Courts.”

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His presentation, scheduled for 9 am, will examine the implications of technology and digital evidence for electoral litigation and the courts.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, Prof Chinyere Okunna, will speak on “Neutrality, Professionalism and Election Security in Democratic Governance.”

The conference will also address an issue often overshadowed by discussions about newsroom performance: the physical and psychological pressures associated with journalism.

Founder and Chief Medical Director of Save A Life Hospital, Port Harcourt, Dr Richard Okoye, will lead a session on “The Human Side of Journalism: Managing Stress, Deadlines and Personal Well-being.”

The Guild has also placed artificial intelligence and disinformation at the centre of the conference agenda, with a professor of Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States, Farooq Kperogi, scheduled to examine the conference’s sub-theme.

His session, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election,” is expected to focus on the growing difficulty of distinguishing authentic information from digitally manipulated or AI-generated content.

The issue has particular significance for the 2027 elections, when political campaigns and competing interests are expected to make extensive use of social media and other digital platforms to influence voters.

The conference will also feature an executive session at 12:30 pm on September 25, during which editors are expected to engage governors, political party leaders and heads of government parastatals on issues of national importance.

According to the Guild, the session will allow media leaders to question political and public-sector actors directly on issues affecting the country.

The NGE said the conference was designed not merely as a professional gathering but as a platform for broader reflection on the state of Nigerian democracy and the responsibilities of the media.

It said editors and other stakeholders would examine ways of advancing democratic governance, promoting national development and strengthening nation-building through “responsible and responsive journalism.”

The Guild added that the gathering would enable media leaders to “interrogate the challenges confronting democracy” and examine how the press can contribute to credible elections, public trust and the preservation of democratic values.

With the 2027 general election less than a year away, the conference is expected to place the Nigerian media’s electoral responsibilities under renewed scrutiny, particularly its capacity to confront disinformation while maintaining professional independence and public trust.