By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Dec. 8, 2022 (NAN) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the civil society will on Saturday brainstorm on the challenges of disinformation and misinformation as the 2023 general elections beckons.
The International Press Centre (IPC) Communications Officer, , Ms. Olutoyin Ayoade made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday.
Ayoade noted that the interface between INEC and other stakeholders on flashpoints of electoral disinformation and misinformation ahead of the 2023 Elections.
She said: “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 2019 elections, fake news can be potentially weaponized, if appropriate measures are not properly established to tackle it”, she said.
Ayoade said the meeting was organised by 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.
She said the specific objective of the EU funded media component was to ensure that the media, including new and social media, provided fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of the electoral process.
Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Premium Times and Mr Festus Okoye, INEC Commissioner for Information and Voter Education would give the keynote address, which is expected to outline measures for curbing fake news in the electoral process.
At least 40 stakeholders including editors, correspondents, CSO representatives, the INEC Director of Voter Education, Mr. Ayo Aluko and the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi are expected at the interface. (NAN)
