Nigerian editors fire back at The Nation, says newspaper failed journalism

By KEMI KASUMU

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Guild officially invited political parties, including the chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yelwatda; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark; and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, to participate in the relevant engagement,” it stated.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has accused The Nation newspaper’s Editorial Board of failing the ethics of journalism over an editorial that criticised the Guild’s handling of the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Enugu.

The Guild, in a statement issued on Thursday, October 8, 2026, and signed by its President, Mr Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Mr Onuoha Ukeh, said the newspaper’s editorial, titled “Journalists Failed Journalism”, made sweeping allegations without establishing the full facts surrounding the conference.

The NGE particularly faulted the publication’s suggestion that the Guild acted in a partisan manner by allowing Mr Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), and Prof. Pat Utomi, a chieftain of the party, to address editors at the conference.

Describing the allegation as unsupported by the facts, the Guild declared: “It is The Nation Newspaper’s Editorial Board that failed journalism.”

According to the NGE, the appearance of Obi and Utomi at the conference did not amount to an endorsement of the NDC, its presidential candidate or any political party.

“ANEC 2026 was not organised as a platform for any political party or presidential candidate. It was a professional gathering of editors and other stakeholders devoted to interrogating critical issues concerning democracy, elections, the media, artificial intelligence, disinformation and the future of Nigeria,” the statement said.

The Guild explained that the conference programme included an executive session on the second day, designed to accommodate governors, political party chairmen, heads of government agencies and parastatals, as well as other stakeholders.

It said the session was intended to promote engagement between the media and key actors in Nigeria’s political and public space.

The NGE argued that isolating the appearances of particular political figures from the broader programme and presenting them as evidence of partisanship was misleading.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Guild officially invited political parties, including the chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yelwatda; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark; and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, to participate in the relevant engagement,” it stated.

The Guild added that the invitations were followed by reminders, while its leadership made personal efforts to secure broader political participation.

According to the statement, Anaba personally contacted the APC chairman, Yelwatda, and the ADC vice-presidential candidate, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, regarding their participation in the conference.

It further disclosed that Ukeh followed up with Mr Paul Ibe, media aide to the ADC presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to encourage the participation of the party and its leaders.

“These are verifiable facts. They fundamentally undermine the central premise of The Nation’s editorial,” the Guild said.

It questioned why it should be blamed for the absence of political parties whose leaders were invited but did not attend.

“Should it prevent a candidate who was available and willing to attend from participating simply because other invited candidates or parties chose not to attend?” the statement asked.

The NGE also cited the participation of representatives of the Federal Government as evidence that the conference was not designed to favour a particular political interest.

It said the Guild provided a platform for Mr Tunde Rahman, media adviser to President Bola Tinubu, to speak on the administration, while the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, was represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The Guild added that Vice-President Kashim Shettima also addressed editors virtually from the United States.

According to the NGE, these engagements contradicted the impression created by The Nation that the conference was partisan.

The statement also rejected the newspaper’s description of Obi’s appearance as an “ambush”, arguing that he attended a professional gathering attended by hundreds of editors and other stakeholders.

“There is a fundamental distinction between providing a platform for engagement and supporting a political position,” it said.

The Guild further faulted the editorial’s reference to an “impunity of silence”, maintaining that the conference was a public professional gathering and not a secret event.

“The fact that The Nation or another newspaper chose not to report an occurrence does not make that occurrence secret, nor does it establish professional misconduct,” the statement added.

While reaffirming its commitment to the principles of accuracy, fairness, balance, objectivity, independence and accountability, the NGE expressed regret that a newspaper of The Nation’s standing would publish an editorial accusing the Guild of failing journalism without, in its view, establishing the full facts.

The Guild maintained that it would continue to provide platforms for independent engagement with political actors, public officials, civil society organisations, electoral institutions and other stakeholders, irrespective of their political affiliations.

“That is not partisanship. That is journalism,” it declared.

The NGE concluded by calling on The Nation Editorial Board to acknowledge what it described as omissions in the publication’s 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 said.