Osun 2026 Election: Journalists Urged to Prioritise Issue-Based Reporting Ahead of Governorship Poll

Journalists covering the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election have been encouraged to focus on issue-based reporting rather than personality-driven politics to help voters make informed decisions before heading to the polls.

The call was made during a two-day Media and Election Stakeholders’ Interaction on Credible Polls in Osun State, organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Osogbo. The forum brought together journalists, electoral officials, security agencies and civil society organisations to strengthen collaboration for a peaceful, transparent and credible election.

Speaking at the event, IPC Programme Officer, Stella Nwofia, said the initiative was designed to deepen democratic values in Osun State by promoting responsible election coverage and improving cooperation among key stakeholders involved in the electoral process.

Delivering a presentation, Dr. Rasheed Adebiyi, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Fountain University, Osogbo, urged journalists to shift attention from personality-based political stories to reports focused on policies, governance, development plans and political manifestos.

He stressed that media practitioners should go beyond the commercial side of news by producing stories that address issues affecting citizens’ daily lives, saying such reporting would enable voters to make better-informed choices at the ballot box.

According to Adebiyi, journalists should critically examine the records, campaign promises and performance of political parties and candidates while ensuring their reports remain factual, balanced and capable of strengthening democratic governance.

“I charge you to prioritise issue-based reports. The contents you push out will go a long way in helping voters to make the right choices. Undertake development stories about good governance, governance failures, policy assessment and long-term developmental priorities.

“Don’t let this coming election in Osun be like that of Ekiti where many do not know candidates who contested with Governor Oyebamiji. Lead the public in deeper thinking about the candidates,” he said.

Also speaking, Taiwo Obe, Director of the Journalism Clinic, Lagos, urged journalists to improve their analytical skills and embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital tools to produce more engaging and data-driven election reports.

Obe further advised media professionals to help bridge the information gap for citizens, combat fake news and misinformation, prioritise their safety while covering elections and strengthen collaboration with other stakeholders to support a peaceful and credible governorship election in Osun State.