Fake news, a serious threat to election process in Nigeria, INEC warns

• Insists election not ‘do-or-die’

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared that fake news poses a serious threat to the election process in the country,

warning that if not nipped in the bud, it could become the bane of election management in Nigeria.

An INEC National Commissioner and member, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Prof Kunle Ajayi stated this on Monday in Akwanga, Nasarawa State at the opening of a two-day workshop for journalists covering the Commission on Ethical, Safety practices and critical issues.

Ajayi recalled that the Commission’s distasteful experience with fake news in the last 2023 General Elections has shown that, if not nipped in the bud, fake news can become the bane of election management in Nigeria.

This, according to him, is because elections, particularly so in Nigeria, are perceived as very high-stakes game, so much so that some people negatively tag it as a “do or die affair”.

The INEC National Commissioner, in his speech, said, “I would like at this juncture, to draw the attention of all media representatives here present today (Monday) to a crucial issue that poses a serious threat to the election process in Nigeria, that is the issue of fake news.

“The Commission’s distasteful experience with fake news in the 2023 General Elections has shown that, if not nipped in the bud, fake news can become the bane of election management in Nigeria.

“The alarming prevalence of misinformation, ‘fake news’, hate speech, and the weaponization of disinformation has become very worrisome to the Commission. “Disinformation is used to provoke religious, political, and tribal sentiments in an already polarized society such as ours, especially, during election season, which is often the leading cause of electoral violence and uprisings.

“The media space is one of the primary mechanisms for such electioneering dynamics.

“The role of journalists is therefore particularly critical during election processes”, he said.

Continuing, Prof Ajayi said, “The Media sector of the polity remains one of our critical stakeholders, such that we have over 100 members of INEC Press Corps from various media organizations in the country who cover the activities of the Commission regularly.

“Beyond voter and civic education, the Commission frequently consults the media ahead of the formulation of policies and during the implementation of activities to keep you abreast of the happenings in the electoral system as well as in the Commission”, he said.