The Independent National Electoral Commission has issued a warning against the spread of misinformation during the electoral process. The INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, issued the warning in a statement issued after a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Ahead of the Edo State governorship election.
The Edo governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024. As part of its election preparations, INEC has been working closely with security agencies and local stakeholders to ensure a smooth electoral process in Edo. Key preparations such as installing Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines and printing triplicate copies of the voters’ register for all 4,519 polling units in the state are completed.
Represented by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mary Nkem, Olumekun emphasised the critical role the media plays in ensuring the integrity of the upcoming election. Olumekun cautioned that the spread of false information, particularly in the digital age, could lead to public unrest and erode trust in the election results. “In this digital age, we are acutely aware of the dangers posed by fake and misleading news, especially during an election period. “Such information has the potential to disrupt the electoral process, undermine public confidence and incite unnecessary tensions,” he said.
INEC, however, said it had committed to maintaining transparency and providing timely updates. The commissioner noted that the public can rely on the commission for accurate information, adding that various channels have been made available for voters and the media to verify any election-related news directly with the INEC. “The commission has taken proactive steps to combat this menace, part of which is to be open and transparent in all its dealings. We have made it a culture to constantly update the public through you after every commission’s meeting when decisions are taken.
“We will intensify the information flow as we move closer to the Edo governorship election. Measures have been put in place to minimise circulation of false information,” he said.
