The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said dominance of incumbents in media coverage during elections and commercialisation of political airtime by media organisations, weaken the neutrality of broadcast media in election coverage.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, in a lecture at the 81st General Assembly of the Broadcast Organisation of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja on Wednesday, said, notwithstanding the regulatory framework established under the Electoral Act 2026, the practical management of broadcast media during elections in Nigeria continues to face challenges that undermine the realisation of electoral fairness.
Prof. Amupitan noted that the Electoral Act, 2026, provides equal access to media platforms and equal allocation of airtime and fairness in broadcast for all political parties, by media organisations, but stated that despite criminalising any breach, election observation reports have consistently shown that ruling parties enjoy disproportionate access to airtime and more favourable coverage.
This, he added, skews political visibility and influences voter perception towards the ruling parties.
“This structural advantage weakens the principle of competitive neutrality that underpins democratic elections,” Prof. Amupitan stated.
He also condemned the commercialisation of political airtime, which he said places smaller political parties and less-resourced candidates at a distinct disadvantage.
According to him, access to broadcast platforms is therefore often determined by the ability to pay for political advertisements or sponsored programmes.
He stated that such a trend transforms political communication into a market commodity, “where financial strength rather than the merit of ideas dictates visibility.
“The consequence is a narrowing of the political space, with dominant actors crowding out alternative voices.”
INEC Chairman also decried weak and inconsistent enforcement of regulatory provisions, noting that although both INEC and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) are tasked with monitoring compliance, enforcement efforts are often reactive and limited in scope.
He pointed out that violations such as biased reporting, unequal airtime allocation, and the broadcast of inflammatory content frequently go unpunished or attract minimal sanctions.
“This not only undermines the credibility of the regulatory framework but also emboldens political actors to flout the rules with little consequence,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan stated that the increasing convergence of traditional broadcasting and digital media presents a complex regulatory challenge.
He noted that broadcast content is now routinely disseminated and amplified through social media platforms, making it difficult for regulators to control the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and partisan narratives.
The existing legal framework, which is primarily designed for conventional radio and television, he added, now struggles to address this hybrid media environment effectively.
He expressed concerns about the independence of the NBC, particularly its relationship with the executive, and said this raised questions about its capacity to enforce rules impartially, especially against state-owned media.
Prof. Amupitan called for harmonisation of the NBC and INEC regulatory roles through a coherent legal framework that promotes coordination and avoids overlapping responsibilities, as well as using measurable standards such as minimum airtime allocation and balanced coverage requirements, to determine equal access, to eliminate ambiguity and ensure fairness
