A former chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Hon. Wale Adebayo, has urged the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, combat the menace of fake news from the polity.
He was reacting to a report alleging that the spokesperson of Osun State governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed was invited for probe by the Department of State Service (DSS), for allegedly sponsoring fake news against Femi, son of Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
An Abuja-based blogger published a news report, claiming that Femi was extorting directors of the Ministry of Marine. The blogger was later arrested by operatives of DSS and she reportedly confessed that Rasheed sponsored the report. In his reaction, Adebayo said the scourge of fake news in Nigeria is indeed a problem, and it’s not just limited to politics.
“Fake news is a serious problem in Nigeria, and it can have a major impact on the political landscape. It can be used to mislead voters, to damage the reputation of an individual, and to sow discord and division” The Ex- IPAC Chief stated that regulations could certainly be a part of the solution but we must draw a line between regulating fake news and infringing on freedom of speech.
“The federal government can create regulations that would effectively reduce the spread of fake news without infringing on civil liberties. A well-crafted regulations could strike the right balance between addressing fake news and protecting civil liberties” He added that a more radical approach to those who deliberately spread fake news with malicious intent to cause real harm, should be liable to a prison term to completely eradicate it from our politics.