By Uloma Peace Okorie
The Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) has called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and the media to promote credible, peaceful and informed elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
National President of ACSPN, Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji, made the call on Monday in Abuja while addressing journalists at a press conference to herald the association’s 2026 Annual Conference scheduled to hold at the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja.
Olatunji said Nigeria’s electoral process was entering a critical phase as technology, artificial intelligence, social media, digital platforms and data-driven political communication continued to transform the way citizens receive information, engage political actors and make electoral choices.
The conference, with the theme, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication,” is therefore aimed at addressing emerging challenges and opportunities created by the rapidly changing communication environment.
According to him, the media and communication scholars have complementary roles to play in strengthening democracy, describing the two as “two wings of one bird.”
He said while communication scholars generate knowledge, conduct research and provide intellectual frameworks for understanding society, media professionals translate information into public knowledge, hold institutions accountable and amplify citizens’ voices.
He stressed that neither side could effectively achieve its mandate in isolation, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.
The ACSPN president urged journalists to develop stronger capacity to interrogate data, understand artificial intelligence and digital manipulation, and identify misinformation and disinformation.
He also called on communication scholars to ensure that their research findings move beyond academic journals and become accessible resources for journalists, policymakers and citizens.
Olatunji appealed to the media to partner with ACSPN in taking discussions at the conference beyond the academic environment and ensuring that citizens across the country understand the implications of artificial intelligence, algorithms, data analytics, social media and other digital platforms on the electoral process.
He urged journalists to promote fact-based public discourse, challenge misinformation and disinformation, and provide citizens with reliable information to enable them make informed democratic choices.
ACSPN Introduces Fellowship Awards
The 2026 conference will also witness the introduction of the ACSPN Fellowship and Special Awards to recognise outstanding contributions to communication scholarship, professional practice and national development.
Among those to receive posthumous recognition are the late Prof. Lai Oso, the foundation president of ACSPN and former Dean of the School of Communication at Lagos State University, and the late Prof. Dayo Alao, former Vice-Chancellor of Adeleke University.
Living pioneers and legends to be recognised include Prof. Idowu Sobowale, Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie, Prof. Umaru Alhaji Pate, Prof. Stella Okunna, Mr. Lanre Idowu, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, OON, and Prof. Olatunji himself.
Olatunji said the awards were designed not merely as honours but as a means of preserving institutional memory, encouraging continuity and promoting intergenerational mentorship within the association.
He said the 2026 conference would contribute to the national conversation on the future of democracy in an increasingly digital Nigeria and Africa.
“As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, ACSPN is prepared to contribute its intellectual resources, professional expertise and institutional capacity to the task of building a more informed, inclusive, peaceful and credible democratic process,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to make the conference more than an annual academic gathering, but a platform for democratic renewal and meaningful engagement on the future of electoral communication.