Nigerian Guild of Editors Defends Peter Obi's Invitation

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) invited Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, to its conference in Enugu to facilitate discussions on democracy, elections, and journalism. The NGE responded to criticism from The Nation newspaper, which questioned the guild's decision to allow Obi to address editors while excluding other candidates, suggesting a potential political bias as the 2027 elections approach.

In a statement by NGE President Eze Anaba, the guild rejected the editorial's claims and demanded an apology. The NGE clarified that the conference included an executive session with various political stakeholders and had invited representatives from major political parties, including Nentawe Yelwatda of the All Progressives Congress and David Mark of the African Democratic Congress.

The guild noted that it had made efforts to ensure broader participation and questioned why it was blamed for the absence of some invited parties. The conference also featured addresses from government officials, including Tunde Rahman and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who participated virtually.