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From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
No fewer than 40 stakeholders drawn from the media, the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would storm Abuja on Saturday to brainstorm on the challenge of electoral disinformation and misinformation in Nigeria as the 2023 general elections draw near.
The interface is being organised by the International Press Centre (IPC), the lead partner of component 4 (Support to Media) of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria – Phase II (EUSDGN II) project.
Communications Officer of IPC, Ms. Olutoyin Ayoade, in a statement, said that the interface would be chaired by Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Premium Times and Senior Fellow of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
She added that INEC Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, would give the key note address and was expected to outline measures for curbing fake news in the electoral process.
“If the spread of fake news in the electoral process is left unchecked, it could deny the voters the opportunity to make informed choices at the polls while it may also induce hate speech and electoral violence.
“As observed during the Nigeria’s 2019 elections, fake news can be potentially weaponized, if appropriate measures are not properly established to tackle it”, Ayoade said in the statement.
The IPC’s Communications Officer, disclosed that the INEC Director of Voter Education, Mr. Ayo Aluko and the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi were expected at the interface.
“The specific objective of the EU funded media component is to ensure that the media, including new and social media, provides fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the electoral process”, the statement added.
