The Association of Corporate Online Editors, ACOE, has unveiled a three-day anniversary programme culminating in its second annual lecture and awards on November 19, with electoral security, artificial intelligence, media ethics and credible journalism taking centre stage ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The programme, which marks the Association’s fourth anniversary, is designed to combine professional development with humanitarian outreach and a high-level policy conversation on how the media, electoral umpire and political actors can work together to deliver peaceful and credible elections.
ACOE Chairman, Shola Akingboye, disclosed this on Thursday at a world press conference in Abuja where the association unveiled the programme and its activities.
The anniversary will run through three major phases fitness and humanitarian service, professional training, and the annual lecture and awards, reflecting the association’s broader focus on journalism, social responsibility and democratic accountability.
Akingboye said the initiative was particularly significant as Nigeria moved closer to the 2027 elections, warning that the rapid expansion of digital platforms had placed greater responsibility on journalists and online publishers to protect the integrity of information reaching voters.
The first day of the programme will begin with a physical fitness exercise for members before the association moves into humanitarian activities, including visits to motherless homes to support children and other vulnerable persons.
According to Akingboye, the humanitarian component is based on the conviction that journalists should not merely report society’s problems but should also demonstrate solidarity with people affected by them.
The second day will shift attention from social responsibility to the rapidly changing technological environment confronting journalism, with members scheduled to undergo specialised training on ethical digital journalism in the age of artificial intelligence.
The training, themed “What the AI Will Not Do,” is expected to examine both the opportunities and dangers created by AI-powered journalism and digital communication.
Akingboye said the training would address emerging threats including misinformation, deepfakes, fabricated content, copyright violations and the manipulation of digital materials.
He stressed that while AI could improve the speed and efficiency of journalism, it could not replace the professional judgment, verification responsibility and ethical standards expected of journalists.
The Chairman said journalists must therefore deploy technology as a tool for strengthening journalism rather than allowing it to erode the principles of accuracy, accountability and public trust.
The high point of the anniversary will come on Thursday, November 19, 2026, when ACOE holds its second annual lecture and awards at 10am at the Army Resources Centre, Asokoro, Hall A, Mambilla Barracks, Abuja.
The lecture will focus directly on the 2027 electoral challenge and is themed: “Roadmap to 2027: Strengthening Electoral Security Through Collaboration Among INEC, the Media, and Political Parties for Credible and Hitch-Free Elections.”
The choice of electoral security as the central theme places ACOE’s annual lecture within one of the most critical debates ahead of the 2027 polls, particularly amid concerns over misinformation, political rhetoric, election-related violence and the credibility of information available to voters.
Akingboye said no single institution could guarantee peaceful and credible elections, arguing that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, security agencies, the media and citizens must work together to protect the electoral process.
He said the media had an especially important responsibility because of the growing influence of online journalism in shaping public opinion and political narratives.
“The media, in particular, has a very important role to play. As online journalism continues to expand its reach and influence, we must ensure that information reaching the public is properly verified, accurate, balanced and responsibly presented.”
He also called on political parties and their supporters to prioritise issue-based campaigns and avoid inflammatory statements or actions capable of escalating political tensions ahead of the elections.
According to him, the annual lecture would provide a platform for key stakeholders to interrogate existing electoral-security challenges and develop practical measures capable of producing safer, more credible and peaceful elections in 2027.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr Chux Ukwuatu, said the event was expected to attract about 100 participants, including ministers, senior government officials, politicians and representatives of the informal sector.
Mr Ukwuatu disclosed that the INEC Chairman has been selected as keynote speaker, placing the electoral management body at the centre of the policy conversation on electoral security and inter-agency collaboration.
He explained that the Army Resources Centre was selected as the venue because of its capacity, security arrangements and adequate parking facilities for participants.
Beyond the lecture, ACOE will use the occasion to honour individuals and organisations through its second annual awards, recognising contributions to journalism, democracy, public accountability, electoral development and national service.
Akingboye said the awards were not merely ceremonial but intended to encourage people and institutions making measurable contributions to society.
He reaffirmed ACOE’s commitment to promoting professional journalism, ethical digital publishing, credibility and accountability at a time when the Nigerian information ecosystem is facing growing pressure from misinformation and technology-driven manipulation.
With the 2027 elections approaching, he said online editors must assume a greater responsibility for helping citizens understand the electoral process and ensuring that political information does not become a tool for destabilising the country.
“As we approach 2027, we believe that the media must be part of the solution. We must help Nigerians understand the electoral process. We must provide credible information. We must give room for diverse voices,” he said.
The ACOE Chairman subsequently urged journalists, stakeholders and members of the public to participate in the three-day anniversary programme, which combines professional training, humanitarian intervention and an electoral policy dialogue as the country moves towards another crucial general election.
