The acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, has urged individuals and media houses who will be accredited for the Anambra State Governorship Election to carry out their essential work with utmost professionalism and sense of responsibility.

The acting INEC boss spoke at the third quarterly consultative meeting with media executives held in Abuja on Wednesday.

Agbamuche-Mbu noted that the Commission’s Media Accreditation Portal for the election, which opened on 1st September, 2025, would not be extended beyond the October 24, 2025 deadline.

She went on to announce that as of October 15, the Commission has received about 43 applications from media organisations seeking accreditation for 363 personnel.

“I wish to formally remind the media that the Portal remains open until midnight on 24th October, 2025,” she added.

“I must stress that there shall be no extension of this deadline. We strongly urge all organisations and individuals who have applied to complete their accreditation process well in advance of this deadline.

“Also, the media accreditation tags issued by the Commission are a vital part of our security and transparency measures, and they come equipped with a security code that can be scanned by all relevant parties, including security agencies to immediately confirm the holder’s accredited status.

“To those who will be accredited, we urge you to carry out your essential work with utmost professionalism and sense of responsibility. You have a critical role to play as a bulwark against fake and misleading information throughout this electoral cycle.”

In his speech, the National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Alhassan Yahaya, said that INEC should ensure that its efforts and reforms to continuously improve electoral administration through technology, inclusivity, and transparency is effectively communicated to the public.

“It is through our reports, analyses and engagements that citizens develop trust and understanding of the system,” he said.

He called for deepened collaboration between INEC and the media the nation approaches future elections.

“We must enhance capacity building for journalists covering electoral matters, strengthen fact-checking to combat misinformation, and ensure timely access to information from INEC,” he added.

Anambra election: INEC charges media on professional, responsible reporting