Nigerian Guild of Editors demands apology from The Nation

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has demanded an apology from The Nation newspaper following an editorial titled ‘Journalists Failed Journalism’. The NGE claims the editorial fell short of professional standards by reaching sweeping conclusions about the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Enugu without establishing all the facts.

The dispute stems from the participation of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and party chieftain Pat Utomi at the conference. The Nation’s editorial questioned why Obi was allowed to address editors when other presidential aspirants were not represented, suggesting the NGE’s decision could imply political alignment ahead of the 2027 elections. The newspaper also described the appearance of the politicians as an ‘ambush’ since they were not listed in the original programme.

In a statement signed by NGE President Eze Anaba and General Secretary Onuoha Ukeh, the Guild rejected accusations of partisanship. They maintained that the conference was a professional forum intended to discuss critical national issues, including democracy and journalism, and noted that invitations had been extended to various political leaders, including representatives from the APC, ADC, and NDC.