The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has announced that prominent personalities, including Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, and immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, will speak at its 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC).
The two-day conference is scheduled to hold on September 24 and 25, 2026, at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, with more than 500 editors from across Nigeria expected to participate.
The conference, which is the flagship annual gathering of the Guild, will focus on issues affecting democracy, elections, journalism and national development, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The conference is themed, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” while the sub-theme is, “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”
The Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, will chair the event.
According to a statement signed by the NGE President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, Cardinal Onaiyekan, former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, will deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony scheduled for 2pm on September 24.
Other speakers on the first day include Prof. Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano, who will speak on “Public Trust, Electoral Justice and Democratic Stability,” while Governor Mbah will also address participants.
The day’s programme will also feature a joint presentation by Kayode Komolafe, Ombudsman and Public Protector of ThisDay Newspapers, and veteran journalist and civil rights campaigner, Owei Lakemfa, on “Reporting Terrorism Without Becoming a Tool for Terrorists.”
On September 25, Mazi Afam Osigwe will speak on “Election Petitions in the Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS and the Courts,” beginning at 9am.
Prof. Chinyere Okunna, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, is expected to examine “Neutrality, Professionalism and Election Security in Democratic Governance.”
Also scheduled to speak is Dr. Richard Okoye, Founder and Chief Medical Director of Save A Life Hospital, Port Harcourt, who will address the issue of journalists’ welfare in a session titled “The Human Side of Journalism: Managing Stress, Deadlines and Personal Wellbeing.”
Prof. Farooq A. Kperogi, Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States, will focus on the conference’s sub-theme, examining ways of detecting and countering AI-generated disinformation before, during and after elections.
The second day will also feature an Executive Session at 12:30pm, where editors are expected to interact with governors, political party leaders and heads of government agencies on matters of national importance.
The Guild said the conference would enable media leaders and other stakeholders to examine ways of strengthening democratic governance, promoting national development and advancing nation-building through responsible journalism.
It added that the gathering would provide an opportunity to interrogate challenges facing democracy and the media’s responsibility in protecting credible elections, public trust and democratic values.
