The Association of Niger Delta Online Publishers (ANDOP) is working with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in the South-South Zone, to create an accountability platform for candidates of political parties who would be contesting the 2027 elections across the region.
The two groups intend to bring the candidates together in all the states for a political debate, where members of the public would have the privilege of interrogating the politicians on their blueprints and agenda.
The debate is being organised for the governorship and National Assembly candidates in all the political parties across the six states of the south south zone. Discussions to that effect has already commenced between the registered trustees of ANDOP and the NUJ.
At a courtesy visit to the Vice President, South-South Zone of the NUJ, Opaka Dokubo, at his office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the registered trustees of ANDOP, led by the Founding President, Mr Ofonime Umanah, expressed the readiness to work with the NUJ for the realisation of the objective.
The visit was also aimed at formally introducing the association to the NUJ zonal leadership and briefing Dokubo on the proposed collaboration between both organisations to organise debates for candidates of various political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dokubo welcomed the initiative and pledged the full collaboration of the NUJ to ensure its successful execution across the Niger Delta.
He commended the Board of Trustees and members of ANDOP for the professionalism they had brought to online journalism, describing the association as an important force in promoting credible information and countering the spread of fake news in the digital space.
The NUJ zonal vice president also expressed delight over the calibre of journalists driving online publishing in the Niger Delta, describing their emergence as a positive development for journalism and the region.
Dokubo also urged ANDOP to find ways of grooming and mentoring young journalism graduates who will eventually take over from the present generation and ensure that quacks do not have a place in online journalism practice in the region.
He assured the delegation that the NUJ would work assiduously with ANDOP to ensure the success of the proposed debates across the region.
Earlier, the Founding President of ANDOP, Ofonime Umanah, who led the delegation, said the association was established not only to present a correct perspective of issues affecting the Niger Delta through online platforms, but also to mentor younger journalists in the region.
Umanah, who is also the publisher of TNN Newspapers, said ANDOP was prepared to work with the NUJ to organise credible and issue-based debates involving governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives candidates.
He said the debates would provide citizens and voters with an opportunity to hear directly from candidates, assess their programmes and competence, and make informed choices at the polls.
According to him, the initiative is part of ANDOP’s broader commitment to strengthening journalism, democratic participation and responsible political communication in the Niger Delta.
Among members of the delegation were the Secretary of ANDOP, Celestine Ogolo, and the Treasurer, Sir Lawson Hayford.
