Governors Abba Yusuf of Kano and Uba Sani of Kaduna have warned journalists against hate speech, personality attacks and fake news ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying such practices could undermine democracy and public confidence in the electoral process.
The governors spoke through their representatives on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of “Digital Shift in Nigeria’s Newspaper Industry”, a book authored by the Group News Editor of Leadership Newspapers, Dr. Sunday Isuwa.
Yusuf who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, expressed concern about what he described as unhealthy political campaigns dominated by hate speech and personal attacks.
“What we are seeing is not really healthy to our democracy, particularly the practices of hate speech that we are witnessing and turning politics into personality attacks,” Yusuf said.
He stressed that political competition should focus on issues, not attacks on opponents, as politics is not and should not be turned to a war between contestants.
Similarly, Gov. Sani, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, urged journalists to verify information thoroughly and consider the implications of their reports for democratic development.
“In these elections, we must look beyond just reporting events, look very deeply, verify facts, and ensure what we report is contributing to democracy,” Sani said.
“Campaigns will end. Posters will end. Candidates, of course, some will win and some will lose. But at the end of the day, what is more important is this corporate entity called Nigeria.”
Sani also warned that technological changes and artificial intelligence are reshaping newsroom operations and threatening media jobs.
He said newspaper production has changed significantly, with shrinking newsrooms and fewer workers handling tasks that previously required separate teams, and urged journalists to develop multimedia skills to remain relevant.
