By Abdullahi Yusuf
The 22nd All Nigeria Editors’ Conference(ANEC) 2026 has opened in Enugu, capital of Enugu State, with over 350 Editors and other Media professionals drawn from various media organizations across the country in attendance.
The 4-day Conference has the Theme:”The Ballot, The Media And The Task Of Keeping Democracy Alive,” and the Sub-theme:”When Lies Look Real: Detecting And Debunking AI Misinformation,Before, During And After Election.”
Welcoming the participants,President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors(NGE), Mr. Eze Anaba, urged editors to protect the credibility of the ballot and help keep Nigeria’s democracy alive as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
Anaba said the media, alongside other critical institutions, have a responsibility to nurture democracy by ensuring that voters are adequately informed and electoral outcomes reflected the choices of the people.
According to him, the credibility of the ballot must be protected to prevent the courts from having to determine who should represent the people.
“The credibility of the ballot must be protected so that the courts do not have to replace the citizenry in determining who should represent the people,” he said.
Anaba said the ballot could only fulfil its purpose when voters have access to credible information and are able to make their choices freely, without intimidation or undue influence.
He urged editors to uphold verification, independence, accuracy, fairness, accountability and courage, particularly in an era of social media, artificial intelligence, deepfakes and rapid dissemination of misinformation.
“As editors, we must remain above board in an increasingly polarised environment. We must not become agents of disorder. Neither should we display contradictory tendencies,” the president added.
The Chief Host and Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, in his address, called on Nigerian editors and other media professionals to uphold the truth, credibility and professional responsibility as the country prepares for another electoral cycle.
Mbah emphasised the central responsibility of the media in protecting democratic values, noting that reporters and editors occupy a critical position in shaping public understanding of government, elections and national issues.
The Governor also highlighted the importance of fact-checking, professional journalism and public trust, stressing the need for media practitioners to remain committed to accuracy and responsible reporting.
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, who chaired the Conference,charged Nigerian editors to defend democracy by ensuring that citizens received accurate and verified information, particularly during elections.
Achebe said democracy requires constant protection and warned that the media had a critical role in keeping the ballot meaningful.
According to him,the ballot represents the voice of citizens, while the media serve as the mirror through which they understood the issues before making electoral choices.
He expressed concern over the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence-generated disinformation, noting that false information could now be produced within seconds with a level of realism capable of deceiving even trained observers.
The traditional ruler said fabricated voices, videos and images could be used to falsely portray politicians, invent incidents and inflame passions before elections.
He identified verification before speed, media literacy and courage as key responsibilities of editors, urging journalists to scrutinise suspicious content and educate citizens on how to identify manipulated information.
He said journalists also need the courage to debunk falsehoods regardless of the political interests they serve, stressing that integrity required correcting misinformation whether it benefited a political ally or opponent.
Achebe, however,acknowledged the economic pressures, political intimidation and rapid pace of the Nigerian media environment but expressed confidence in the profession’s capacity to confront the emerging challenges.
He urged the editors to use the conference as a platform to strengthen the defence of truth and democracy, saying they should remain committed to protecting the citizenry and democratic institutions even when other institutions failed.
The Conference which also features paper presentations by media executives, academics and lawyers, as well as induction of new Members and installation of new Fellows,ends on Saturday with a Project Tour and a Gala Night.