In a statement released following a press conference in Abuja on Friday, ahead of the Edo State governorship election, Sam Olumekun, the INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, issued the caution.
The date of the Edo governorship election is set for September 21, 2024, a Saturday.
To guarantee a seamless election process in Edo, INEC has been collaborating closely with local stakeholders and security agencies as part of its election preparations.
Important arrangements have been finished, including the installation of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices and the printing of duplicate copies of the voter registration for each of the state’s 4,519 polling places.
Olumekun emphasized the vital role that the media plays in guaranteeing the integrity of the next election while being represented by Mary Nkem, Director of Voter Education and Publicity.
Olumekun issued a warning, saying that “the dissemination of misleading material might cause disturbance in the public and damage confidence in the election results, especially in the digital era. We are well aware of the risks presented by false and misleading news in this digital age, particularly when elections are approaching.”
He stated, “Such information has the potential to undermine public confidence, disrupt the electoral process, and incite needless tensions.”
On the other hand, INEC asserted that it had promised to uphold openness and offer prompt information.
The commissioner stated that the public can rely on the commission to provide accurate information, and that voters and the media can independently confirm any news pertaining to the election by contacting the INEC through a number of channels that have been made available.
“The commission is being open and transparent in all of its transactions as part of the proactive measures it has taken to counter this threat. It has become customary for us to inform the public via you following each commission meeting where decisions are made.
Olumekun emphasized that journalists must maintain their vigilance even if the commission has taken action to lessen the hazards of fake news, including continuous engagement with stakeholders and the media.
“But we can’t accomplish this by ourselves”, the commissioner said. “We think you’ll continue to be a stronghold against false and deceptive information on the commission and the election procedure.”
“We implore the public and the media to do their share of the work by first independently confirming any election-related information with the commission”.
“We welcome any questions or concerns from the public, and we have set up several avenues for them to contact us for accurate information.”
References and Citation
channelstv.com – Edo Election: INEC Warns Media Against Misleading News
punchng.com – Edo poll: INEC warns media against fake, misleading news
gazettengr.com – INEC warns against fake news ahead of Edo governorship election
newtelegraphng.com – Edo Poll: INEC Warns Journalists Against Misleading News