Elections-related disinformation, hate speech threatening elections in Nigeria – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned of the dangers of fake news and misinformation ahead of the Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa governorship elections scheduled for November 16, 2023.

IDANNEWS gathered that INEC National Commissioner and member of the commission’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, raised the alarm at a two-day capacity-building workshop for members of the INEC Press Corps.

Ajayi described the commission’s experience with fake news, hate speech, and misinformation during the 2023 general elections as “distasteful,” adding that disinformation is being used to provoke religious and tribal sentiments, which has already polarised the country.

He said elections-related disinformation has become a major strategy used by nefarious individuals and groups in the political space to manipulate the general public to their advantage, regardless of the consequential effect such propaganda may have on the peace and stability of the electoral process and the country at large.

“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,” Ajayi said.

“The alarming prevalence of misinformation, ‘fake news’, hate speech, and the weaponisation of disinformation has become very worrisome to the commission.

“Disinformation is used to provoke religious, political, and tribal sentiments in an already polarised society such as ours, especially during election season, which is often the leading cause of electoral violence and uprisings.”

Ajayi urged the media to play its role in combating fake news and misinformation by fact-checking information and reporting accurately and impartially.

Team Leader for Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), Rudolf Elbling, also stressed the importance of the media in ensuring a free and fair electoral process.

“The media is an essential part of any democracy,” Elbling said. “A democratic election without the media is impossible as they act as a crucial watchdog to democratic elections, safeguarding the transparency of the process.”

Elbling added that to fulfil their roles, journalists need to maintain a high level of professionalism, accuracy, and impartiality in their coverage.