Shogunle, Popoola, Onyechere Sydney-Jack, Arogundade to headline GOCOP 2026 conference - ITREALMS

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has unveiled four prominent speakers for its 10th annual conference, scheduled to hold on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, reports ITREALMS.

The panel features the Commissioner of Police for Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at Force Headquarters Abuja, Dr. Abayomi Shogunle; Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, Prof. Tayo Popoola; Creative Director of Gender Agenda and Founder of WEWE Network Afrique, Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack; and Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade.

The panel will unpack the core conference theme, 2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities.

According to a statement issued in Abuja by GOCOP Publicity Secretary, Ms. Kemi Yesufu, the speakers were chosen for their extensive expertise spanning election security, mass communication, media development, and civil advocacy. 

The session will critically assess the distinct responsibilities of electoral umpires, security agencies, political actors, the media, and citizens in rebuilding public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The upcoming milestone event marks a decade of GOCOP annual conferences, serving as a convergence point for media executives, policy makers, civil society leaders, and academics.

Earlier announcements by the guild confirmed that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, will deliver the keynote address, while former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, will chair the proceedings starting at 10:00 a.m.

GOCOP operates as a business membership organization comprising 127 verified digital publishing enterprises across Nigeria, dedicated to upholding the highest standards of professional ethics, media credibility, and institutional sustainability within the nation's digital journalism ecosystem.