Photo: Mr Eze Anaba, NGE President
By: Daniel Kanu
The Nigerian Guild of Editors has demanded an apology from The Nation newspaper over an editorial accusing journalists of failing journalism, insisting that the publication reached its conclusion without considering key facts surrounding the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference.
The Guild, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, faulted the newspaper’s editorial titled “Journalists Failed Journalism,” published on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
The editorial had questioned the decision of the NGE to allow the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, and a chieftain of the party, Prof. Pat Utomi, to address editors at the conference held in Enugu.
The newspaper reportedly portrayed their participation as evidence of partisanship by the Guild, an allegation the NGE strongly rejected.
The Guild maintained that the editorial failed to consider the conference’s broader objectives and the efforts made to secure the participation of major political parties and their representatives.
According to the NGE, the conference was designed as a professional platform for editors and stakeholders to discuss critical national issues, including democracy, elections, journalism, artificial intelligence, disinformation and Nigeria’s future.
It explained that the programme included an executive session on the second day, which was intended to bring together governors, political party chairmen, heads of government agencies and other key figures in the political and public space.
The Guild argued that Obi and Utomi’s participation should be understood within this context and not interpreted as an endorsement of the NDC or its presidential candidate.
It said it had formally invited representatives of major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; the African Democratic Congress National Chairman, Senator David Mark; and the NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe.
The NGE added that the invitations were followed by reminders and personal engagements by its leadership to encourage wider political participation.
It disclosed that Anaba personally spoke with Yilwatda and the ADC vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, concerning their participation in the conference.
The Guild also said its General Secretary, Ukeh, contacted Paul Ibe, media aide to the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to encourage the participation of the party and its leaders.
The NGE questioned why it should be blamed for the absence of political parties and their representatives who had been invited and reminded to attend the conference.
It argued that it would have been inappropriate to deny a willing political candidate the opportunity to participate simply because other invited parties or candidates failed to attend.
The Guild further cited the participation of representatives of the Federal Government as evidence that the conference provided a broad platform for engagement rather than one designed to favour a particular political party.
It noted that Tunde Rahman, a senior media aide to President Bola Tinubu, addressed the conference on the administration, while the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, was represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Ali M. Ali.
The NGE also said Vice-President Kashim Shettima addressed the editors virtually from the United States.
The Guild consequently rejected the newspaper’s description of Obi’s appearance as an “ambush,” insisting that the NDC candidate attended an open professional gathering involving hundreds of editors, journalists and other stakeholders.
It stressed that providing a platform for political engagement should not be confused with endorsing the views or ambitions of any participant.
The NGE also faulted the editorial’s reference to an “impunity of silence,” describing the characterisation as unfortunate.
It maintained that journalism required media organisations to establish the relevant facts, consider different perspectives and exercise fairness before reaching conclusions on issues of public interest.
The Guild said it was ironic that it had been accused of failing journalism by an editorial which, in its view, failed to account for the invitations extended to political parties and the efforts made to secure their participation.
“It is The Nation’s Editorial Board that failed journalism,” the Guild declared, accusing the newspaper of reaching a sweeping conclusion without establishing the full facts.
Reaffirming its commitment to the principles of accuracy, fairness, balance, objectivity, independence and accountability, the NGE said it would continue to provide platforms for engagement among political actors, public officials, civil society organisations, electoral institutions and other stakeholders without fear or favour.
“That is not partisanship. That is journalism,” the Guild stated.
It urged The Nation’s Editorial Board to acknowledge what it described as omissions in the editorial and apologise to the Guild and its leadership.
“Now that the facts have been placed on record, the NGE expects The Nation newspaper’s Editorial Board, made up of responsible members of Nigeria’s media community, to acknowledge the omissions in its editorial and offer an apology to the Guild and its leadership,” the statement added.
