The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has demanded an apology from The Nation newspaper's editorial board over an editorial that accused journalists of failing journalism. The editorial, published on October 8, 2026, was deemed unprofessional and lacking in facts. NGE President Eze Anaba and General Secretary Onuoha Ukeh signed the statement criticizing The Nation's editorial board for reaching conclusions without establishing the full facts.
The controversy arose from The Nation's editorial, titled "Journalists Failed Journalism," which questioned the decision of the NGE to allow Mr. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Prof. Pat Utomi, a chieftain of the party, to address editors at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) held in Enugu. The NGE strongly rejected the portrayal of their appearance as evidence of partisanship by the Guild.
According to the NGE, The Nation's editorial board omitted key facts concerning the conference, particularly the efforts made by the Guild to secure the participation of major political parties and their representatives. The conference was designed as a "professional forum for editors and stakeholders to discuss critical national issues." The NGE said it officially invited representatives of major political parties, including the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yelwatda, and the chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark.
The NGE stated that its President, Eze Anaba, personally engaged some political leaders in an effort to secure wider participation. Anaba spoke with APC Chairman Yelwatda and the ADC vice presidential candidate, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, concerning their participation in the conference. The Guild's General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, personally followed up with Mr. Paul Ibe, media aide to ADC presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The NGE argued that these efforts contradicted the central argument of The Nation editorial, while questioning why it should be held responsible when political parties that were invited and reminded about the conference ultimately failed to attend. The Guild noted that Tunde Rahman, Senior Media Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, addressed the conference on the administration, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, was also represented at the event.
The NGE rejected The Nation editorial's description of Obi's appearance at the conference as an "ambush," insisting that the NDC presidential candidate attended an open professional gathering involving hundreds of editors, journalists, and other stakeholders. The Guild maintained that there was a fundamental difference between providing a platform for engagement and supporting a political position.
The NGE described The Nation's editorial as "unfortunate" and accused it of failing journalism by reaching a sweeping conclusion without establishing the full facts. "It is The Nation's editorial board that failed journalism," the Guild declared, demanding an apology from the newspaper's editorial board.
Key points
- The Nigerian Guild of Editors demands an apology from The Nation newspaper for an unprofessional editorial.
- The controversy arose from The Nation's editorial questioning the NGE's decision to allow Mr. Peter Obi and Prof. Pat Utomi to address editors at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference.
- The NGE argues that The Nation's editorial board failed journalism by reaching conclusions without establishing the full facts.
