The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a capacity-building workshop for its Public Affairs Officers (PAOs), with a focus on strengthening credible, verified and responsible election communication ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The workshop, with theme: _“Strengthening PAOs Capacity for Credible, Verified and Responsible Election Communication Towards 2027,” is designed to equip Public Affairs Officers with practical communication skills required to effectively engage the media, respond to emerging information challenges and support the Commission’s public communication efforts at the state level.
Declaring the workshop open, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said Public Affairs Officers occupy critical position as frontline communicators of the Commission.
According to him, PAOs serve as an important link between INEC and the public through the statements they prepare, enquiries they respond to and the support they provide to Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Heads of Department, Voter Education and Publicity.
Haruna said the credibility of INEC’s communication begins, to a significant extent, with the quality and accuracy of the work undertaken by its public affairs personnel.
He noted that the communication environment has become increasingly complex with the growth of social media and the emergence of generative artificial intelligence.
The National Commissioner referenced remarks recently made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, where he emphasised the importance of treating electoral technology and electoral communication as interconnected aspects of election credibility.
He said the Commission considered the workshop necessary to prepare its communication officers to identify, verify and respond appropriately to misinformation and disinformation as the country moves towards the 2027 elections.
