2027: Delta South youths endorse Orette, reject prolonging 'agony' under ruling party - ITREALMS

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The youth groups across the Delta South Senatorial District have declared their unwavering support for Dr. Austin Orette, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, warning that any attempt to prolong the tenure of the incumbent or the ruling party will exacerbate the 'agony' of the people, reports ITREALMS.

The representatives of various vibrant youth organizations converged in Warri on Friday, where they made the demand for radically different and better representation in the next general election.

28 nations endorse safe, responsible AI development @Bletchley Declaration - ITREALMS

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The leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) nations convened for the first time to reach a world-first agreement at Bletchley Park with a shared understanding of the opportunities and risks posed by frontier AI and the need for governments to work together to meet the most significant challenges, reports ITREALMS.

The Bletchley Declaration on AI safety sees 28 countries from across the globe including in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as the EU, agreeing to the urgent need to understand and collectively manage potential risks through a new joint global effort to ensure AI is developed and deployed in a safe, responsible way for the benefit of the global community.

Akwa-Ibom: Five governorship candidates endorse Open Government Manifesto - ITREALMS

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The governorship candidates of five political parties in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria, on Sunday, January 29, 2023 endorsed the Open Governorship Manifesto on their readiness to run an open government agenda, if elected, reports ITREALMS.

The candidates include Senator Akpan James Udoedehe of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Iboro Otu of the African Action Congress (AAC), Dr. Ekere Essien of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Senator Bassey Albert of the Young Progressive Party.

Civil society groups endorse Sanwo-Olu for 2019 - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Some civil society groups in Lagos State have endorsed the gubernatorial aspiration of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the 2019 governorship election in the centre of excellence, reports ITREALMS.

Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Humanity Services Project (HSP), Centre for 21st Century Issues (C2CI), United Action for Democracy (UAD) and Free Bond Labour Services (FBLS) were amongst the seventy (70) groups that gave their commitment to support Sanwo-Olu for victory in the coming election.

The groups said their decision to endorse the APC candidate was premised on the outcome of the integrity test conducted on all the gubernatorial candidates in the State, in which Sanwo-Olu trounced other contenders in all the parameters used by the organisations.

The leader of the groups, Comrade Rasaq Olokoba, speaking at an interactive session with Sanwo-Olu on Thursday, stated that the candidate symbolized the progressive thinking and yearnings of the generality of the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Lagos State. He added that Lagos State was clearly on another journey of social justice, welfarism and good governance.

"There is a resolve that Lagos State will never fall in the hands of reactionary leaders. What we have witnessed is successive progressive government in this State. So we are very delighted that a great leader like Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is the candidate of the APC. We know his contributions to progressive movement and the less privileged of the society, who are the major interests of all of us here. We want a government that will listen to and answer the cries of the people with little or no voice in the society.

"So we are very convinced that Sanwo-Olu is the answer. He has overwhelmingly surpassed other candidates in our integrity test. That's the reason we are openly endorsing him and giving our commitment to his victory in the coming election. Lagos State is certainly on another glorious journey of welfarism and good governance, " Olokoba said.

On her part, the Director, Centre for 21st Century Issues, Ms. Titilope Akosa, said it was important for Lagos State to continue to lead on all development fronts, adding that he was certain Sanwo-Olu was up to the task of taking Lagos to greater heights.

She, therefore, added that the candidate should work towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and renewing the government's engagement with the civil society community if elected.

"Lagos state must take leadership on the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the state must renew its partnership with the civil society community to help speedy achievement of many of its goals. So we humbly ask that, when you are elected, you will prioritise these areas which include improvement of the education system in the State and the empowerment of our women.

"The gender equality and opportunity bill has been lying idle all this while. We do hope that when you are elected you will help to give the necessary support and boost for this progressive proposal. Lagos State must continue to show an outlook of a 21st century state in all forms. A state that will give adequate support to the women, children and the needy in the society. We believe in you and we hope that you will perform beyond expectation", she said.

The governorship candidate, while acknowledging the presence and support of the various organisations, stated that the civil society groups were important stakeholders.

He said they were the eyes and ears of the vulnerable people in the society, adding that they were also the watchdog consistently putting government on its toes to perform optimally.

"I want to assure you that you've found a partner in me. I value your role in building a better society. That's why we are committed to opening access to government to achieve our dream of greater Lagos.

"I commend you all because not many people have the strength to get on this noble but demanding path you have chosen. With this partnership, I'm absolutely certain that we will reach the Lagos of our dreams sooner than envisaged", he said.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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GOCOP, 79 others endorse Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage for 2019 - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) alongside 79 other media entities and publications have endorsed the revised edition of the 2018 Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage in in preparation and commitment to professional and ethical coverage of the 2019 elections, reports ITRealms.

GOCOP prides itself as currently a professional group of some 55 online publishers in worldwide.

This underlines a common chord in the industry for self regulation and checking of excesses among professional media practitioners, just as the Code will be launched in Abuja, Nigeria on Friday, June 22, 2018 as part of the activities of the World Congress of the International Press Institute.

Director, International Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, disclosed that about 80 media outfits have so far endorsed the Code, including professional groups and associations, the broadcast media, newspapers, online news mediums and support groups. 

The Code, a revised edition of the 2014/2015 Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage, was recently validated by media stakeholders.

Arogundade said the Code have been okayed by the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Radio Television And Theatre Arts Workers Union and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.

He said it was encouraging that prominent media establishments that have so far endorsed the Code include Channels Television, AIT, RAYPOWER Radio, the News Agency of Nigeria and the following newspapers: Vanguard, ThisDay, Daily Trust, The Guardian, The Sun, Leadership, The Nation,  Premium Times, The Cable, The Eagle Online, Business Eye magazine and The News Magazine.

Arogundade also said it was gratifying that fifty-five members of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, who publish online, have endorsed the Code as well as the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria.

Media support groups promoting media development, independence and professionalism that have endorsed the Code have also been impressive. 

They include: the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists, Media Rights Agenda, Institute for Media and Society, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalists, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalists, Centre for Information Technology and Development, Journalists for Democratic Rights, Network for Media Excellence, Journalism Clinic, Media Career Development Centre, Diamond Media Awards for Excellence, the Journalism Clinic and Media Law Centre.

Arogundade expressed the hope that the number of organisations endorsing the Code would increase before the public launch and presentation next week.

“We are particularly elated at the kind of responses we are getting from many media organisations that have either endorsed or expressed interest in endorsing the Code,” he said.

Essentially, the Code provides guidelines for the ethical conduct of journalists and their respective organisations in the coverage of elections. 

This obligation, according to the Code, “entails the performance of oversight, public education, open forum and conflict management roles by the media during elections”.

The Code also says in its preamble that the “effective performance of these important roles requires the observance of the highest standards of professionalism, maximum compliance with regulatory frameworks and deference to the public good and interest”.

It therefore says that “it is desirable to have a set of guidelines that regulates the professional and ethical conduct of the media and journalists during elections” and enjoins practitioners that “compliance with the guidelines will contribute to the conduct of credible elections and corresponding social order”.

Among others, the Code provides for a section to regulate Hate Speech and other forms of incitement, which according to it, “could lead to violence and threaten the democratic fabric of a society”. 

It added: “The social obligations of the media during elections therefore include the prevention of hate speech.”

Arogundade stated that the revision, publication and dissemination of the Code is one of the activities being undertaken by IPC under Component 4b: Support to the media of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria project, which seeks to build a professional media as catalysts of democratic accountability, credible elections and good governance. 

Twenty thousand copies of the updated code shall be produced and disseminated to journalists for use ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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5G loading: European CEOs endorse Electronic Communications Code

ITREALMS:

Some 35 European chief executive officers of leading telecommunications companies, have endorsed the Electronic Communications Code (LCC), describing it as an ambitious outline to Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy, reports ITRealms.

The group of CEOs and presidents in a press statement endorsed by all 35 CEOs and made available to ITRealms, noted they have been vocal supporters of the ambitions outlined in the Digital Single Market (DSM) Strategy.

They pointed out that Europe needs an environment that supports innovation, benefits consumers and enables increased investment in a competitive global economy. An indispensable enabler underpinning this ambition is the once-in-a-decade review of Europe’s telecoms laws, enshrined in the Electronic Communications Code (the Code). We write today to express our deep concern as to the status of the political negotiations among the European Institutions.

According to the original political and regulatory plans, the Code should be aimed at “incentivising investment in high speed broadband networks and achieving a consistent single market approach to spectrum policy and management”1. Success will be measured on whether we will collectively deliver increased levels of fibre roll-out and 5G to the benefit of European citizens and businesses.

ITRealms gathered that the telecoms companies signing this document have currently boosted their investment effort to €29.2bn/year in EU282 and we are the continental leaders in network roll-out and service innovation. However, if Europe is to match global competition and deliver on the Gigabit Society objectives, policy and regulatory conditions need to provide markets with ambitious pro-investment rules and increased certainty, moving away from interventionist regulatory dynamics.

“Today, unfortunately, there are no signals that the Code will deliver on its original ambition and support the investments required. On the contrary, there has been little progress on vital measures to facilitate 5G roll-out with stronger spectrum governance and longer license duration. The Code also falls short of supporting successful fibre investment models, which require strong incentives for co-investment and commercial agreements alike. Similarly, the Code fails to provide more space for innovation and consistent standards of consumer protection for equivalent services. What is more, analysts and investors are worried about additional ex-ante regulatory constraints in the field of so-called oligopolies and price regulation, while the European Commission originally proposed more regulatory certainty and better investment conditions,” part of the statement read.

They, therefore, called on the European Institutions to urgently address the shortcomings of the current debate by re-injecting the needed ambition into the process. Otherwise, even the existing EU Directives would deliver more predictability and certainty.

The Code should usher European citizens and businesses into the digital future, enabling the European Union to be in lead of the vigorous transformation we will experience in the next 10 years. We believe that European lawmakers should not accept a text falling short of the initial objectives. For this reason, no agreement should be given to any legislative measures delaying digital investment.

“We remain keen to continue engaging in the debate and we stand ready to support the European Institutions in restoring the initial spirit of the reform. Europe must not miss this defining opportunity to lead digital transformation and ignite growth,” they enthused.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Access, Airtel, InnJoo mobile, ITRealms, others endorse Yudala Zero Gravity

ITRealms:

Foremost financial institution, Access Bank, telecommunications giants, Airtel, InnJoo Mobile and multiple award-winning ITRealms Online, have joined the array of corporate organisations and fast-growing smart mobile devices brand endorse and partner the multi-city digital entertainment concert tagged Yudala Zero Gravity, reports ITRealms Online.

The concert powered by Africa's pioneer composite e-commerce outfit in partnership with New Concept Media Group (NCMG), ITRealms gathered has swelled in sponsorship and endorsements

ITRealms also reports that joining the list of media partners for the debut edition of Yudala Zero Gravity are MTV Base, Cool FM, Wazobia FM, Urban FM, HOT FM, Dream FM as well as major news platforms such as Nigerian Communications Week, Sabinews, ITRealms, News Express, The Capital and Political Economist, among others.

A press statement from NCMG, informed that for Access Bank and Airtel, two corporate institutions that have enjoyed sustainable success in the banking and telecommunications sectors respectively, this endorsement of Yudala Zero Gravity continues a track record of mutually rewarding partnerships with Yudala.

Both organizations are major partners to Yudala on YUBOSS – an entrepreneurship and wealth-creation scheme set up by Yudala to build a league of emerging entrepreneurs and generate creative employment for millions of Nigerians.

InnJoo Mobile, on the other hand come into this partnership with Yudala on Zero Gravity on the back of its rising profile as a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge and price-friendly smart mobile devices and lifestyle goods. Within a couple of years of launch, InnJoo Mobile which recently launched the Max 3 smartphone which is taking the market by storm, has steadily acquired a growing share of the Nigerian and West African mobile devices market.

Yudala will also benefit from widespread publicity and coverage of the Zero Gravity concerts from a list of media partners who have identified with the event.

The inaugural edition of Yudala Zero Gravity will hold in three cities - Lagos, Abuja and Enugu. Each city will host two concerts: a Contemporary Nigerian music blast and a Rock Gospel concert. Zero Gravity will witness pure acoustics and live performances from the best Nigerian artistes in both genres of music. Already, a host of A-list artistes from both genres of music, comedians and other acts have been confirmed for this event.

ITRealms Online recalls that as an initiative to reward customers, free tickets will be delivered to Yudala customers for purchases made from August 1st 2016 online or in any Yudala Experience Store nationwide. Customers will also be upgraded to VIP or VVIP on the basis of further purchases which may take them to the threshold for these categories.

Chuks Egbune/GEE 

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