NGE demands apology from The Nation newspaper

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has called for an apology from The Nation newspaper’s Editorial Board following an editorial titled "Journalists Failed Journalism." The NGE accused the newspaper of editorial misconduct by omitting key facts and failing to establish the full facts surrounding the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) held in Enugu on October 8, 2026.

The Guild asserted that the editorial unfairly portrayed the Guild's decision to allow presidential candidates Peter Obi and Pat Utomi to address the conference as evidence of partisanship. The Guild maintained that the conference aimed to facilitate professional discussions on critical national issues, including democracy, elections, journalism, artificial intelligence, disinformation, and Nigeria's future.

The NGE rejected the editorial's characterization of Obi's participation as an "ambush" and emphasized that the Guild had made concerted efforts to secure the attendance of major political parties and their representatives. The Guild's statement highlighted the official invitations extended to political party leaders, the reminders sent, and the personal engagements made by the Guild's President and General Secretary to ensure broad political participation.

The Guild argued that the editorial's conclusion lacked a comprehensive understanding of the facts presented at the conference, where prominent figures such as Tunde Rahman, Mohammed Idris, and Vice President Kashim Shettima also addressed the event. The Guild reaffirmed its commitment to the core journalistic principles of accuracy, fairness, balance, objectivity, independence, and accountability, asserting that the editorial board's failure to present a balanced view constituted a breach of these principles.