The International Press Centre (IPC) has announced a one-day stakeholders engagement with officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), members of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media to brainstorm on the challenge of disinformation and misinformation ahead of the 2023 general election.
The engagement is being organised by the IPC, the lead partner of component 4 (Support to media) and the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria-Phase II (EUSDGN II) project.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Ms. Olutoyin Ayoade, Communications Officer for IPC, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Premium Times and Senior Fellow of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), will chair the occasion and a key note address will be given by Festus Okoye, INEC Commissioner for Information and Voter Education.
“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”, the statement added.
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.
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”.
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