INEC Warns Broadcast Journalists Against Fake News, Disinformation

By Akinwale Kasali

Worried by what it called the disinformation and fake news against it, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has organized a Two-Day Workshop for Broadcast Journalists across the country to curtail the menace.

The theme of the Workshop, “Contextualising INEC’s Responsibility and Public Expectations Amid Fake News and Disinformation for Broadcast Media”, was held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, said that electoral activities in Nigeria are a big task that requires uprightness, integrity and diligence as contained in the Commission’s guiding values and principles. He added that as an Election Management Body, EMB, the Commission is to provide the Media with information on its activities, election time tables, arrangement for the elections, voting procedures and processes as well as other information related to the electoral process with the aim of ensuring factual and credible reporting of electoral processes, including accurate civic and voter education.

He strssed that to this end, therefore, the Commission has always been making efforts to support capacity building for journalists and other media professionals on election reporting, devoid of fake news and disinformation.

Yakubu who was represented by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, stated that this is why the Commission at all times in the course of discharging its statutory duties, always make electoral information freely available and accessible to the media.

He, however, lamented the notorious effect of fake news and disinformation in our society, adding that it has brought about lack of trust and bias in the electoral system.

“It is, therefore, expected that this workshop will assist to bring into proper perspective, the importance of giving and receiving untainted information in order to enhance trust in our electoral process.

“We should all take it as our collective responsibility that fake news and disinformation have no thriving space in our society”

He therefore urged all participants to take this workshop seriously so that at the end of it,  it would be able to map out ways and strategies on how to improve and deliver transparent, credible and acceptable electoral processes devoid of any bias or sentiment borne out of fake news and disinformation.

In the same vein, the Lagos State Residents Electoral Commission, REC, Prof. Abayomi Salami, said that fake news and disinformation in our society have brought about lack of trust and bias in the electoral system.

He added that the Workshop will assist to bring into proper perspective, the importance of giving and receiving untainted information, in order to enhance trust in our electoral process.

He stressed that if the Broadcast Media take it as a collective responsibility, fake news and disinformation will not have a thriving space in our society.