INEC cautions journalists to avoid being used as tools for spreading fake news

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and media Civil Society organisation expressed concerns about the growing spread of fake news and how it may threaten the peaceful conduct of next year’s general election.

The INEC’s commissioner for information on voter education professor Festus Okoye said this because the spread of the hate speech and fake news is a direct threat to the conduct of the election. He commended the international press Center and like-minded Civil Society organisations for providing a platform to sensitise journalists on the need to avoid being used as tools for spreading fake news and disinformation.

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Mr Okoye went on to say the commission is assiduously preparing and progressing with the execution of the 2023 general election. The commission lent valuable lessons from the conduct of the 2019 general election, the commission took critical decisions and embarked on fundamental measures aimed at building trust in the electoral process, enhancing the transparency of the electoral process and making the management of results much Dynamic and technologically driven.

The interaction between INEC civil society and the media is aimed at identifying and mitigating flash points of electoral misinformation.