The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called for more collaboration with the broadcast media to tackle the menace of fake news, malinformation, disinformation and misinformation about the Commission and Nigeria’s electoral process.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made the call over the weekend at the opening of a two-day Interactive Workshop for Broadcast Media Anchors in Lagos.
The event was organized by INEC in collaboration with the European Union through the International Press Centre (IPC) Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) and Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO).
Represented by the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mr. Sam Olumekun, Yakibu urged broadcast media professionals to recognize the power of their platforms and the ethical responsibility this entails.
The workshop with the theme, “Contextualizing INEC’s Responsibilities and Public Expectations amid Fake News and Disinformation”, was to equip media professionals with essential tools and knowledge for accurate reporting on electoral issues and effective management of public expectations.
Prof. Yakubu outlined INEC’s mandate, which includes responsibilities such as; voter registration, regulation of political parties, election management, voter education and safeguarding electoral integrity.
He noted that while INEC has made significant progress in enhancing transparency and voter confidence through technology such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to enhance transparency and boost voter confidence, the Commission continue to face obstacles including logistical challenges, security issues and the pervasive spread of fake news.
He emphasized that organizing elections in a vast and diverse country like Nigeria presents significant logistical challenges, while noting that the Commission’s workforce includes 15,000 permanent staff and up to 1.2 million ad-hoc personnel during general elections.
Yakubu expressed concern over the pervasive threat of fake news and disinformation, describing it as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and undermine trust in democratic institutions.
He cautioned that such falsehoods have the potential to sway electoral outcomes and provoke unrest.