A university lecturer, Dr Rafiu Bakare, has cautioned journalists against allowing personal emotions, sentiments and value judgments to influence their political analysis as Kwara State gears up for the 2027 governorship election.
Dr. Bakare gave the warning on Friday while delivering a lecture at a media roundtable organised by the Kwara Online Media Practitioners (ASKOMP), themed “Kwara 2027: Media, Politics and the Search for Credible Leadership,” held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Ilorin.
He said the engagement was aimed at promoting professionalism and objectivity among online journalists, particularly in the build-up to the next election cycle.
“This engagement was aimed at promoting objectivity among online journalists,” he said.
According to him, political reporting must be guided by facts and public interest rather than personal biases.
“I also warned them against allowing personal emotions, sentiments, and value judgments to distort political analysis,” he added.
The University Don stressed that credible and responsible journalism is critical to democratic development, noting that accurate political analysis enables citizens to make informed decisions and contributes to good governance in Kwara State.
“Because credible journalism is essential for enabling citizens to make informed political decisions and fostering good governance in Kwara State,” Dr Bakare concluded.
He urged media practitioners to uphold ethical standards and remain fair, balanced and accountable in their coverage of political actors and processes ahead of 2027.
