Vin Oliji, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process against misinformation and disinformation.
The declaration came as the Commission actively participated in a two-day regional workshop on “Protecting Elections in the Information Environment” held in Abuja.
The INEC delegation, headed by Aminetu Shiaka, an Assistant Director in the Commission’s ICT Department, also included Makanjuola Taiwo, Patience George, and Otu Fidelia Udumma.
The team made notable contributions to the discussions, highlighting Nigeria’s experience and the Commission’s proactive approach to digital election challenges.
Hajia Shiaka spoke extensively on the intersection of technology and electoral processes, stressing the need for robust measures to protect election information systems from manipulation.
Makanjuola Taiwo drew attention to the activities of people who push false narratives before, during, and after elections, citing Nigeria’s past experiences as cautionary lessons.
On her part, Patience George stated that Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) must be proactive in tackling disinformation, highlighting INEC’s collaboration with critical stakeholders to secure the electoral information space.
Meanwhile, Fidelia Udumma underscored the urgency of building public trust, warning that focus had shifted from polling units to the unregulated domain of social media where misinformation can inflame tensions, distort perceptions, and undermine confidence in democratic institutions.
Participants at the workshop agreed that “regional cooperation is indispensable,
as the threats to electoral integrity are increasingly transnational.”
INEC’s delegation reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to adopt innovative strategies that strengthen electoral resilience, transparency, and trust while aligning with efforts to protect democracy in the digital age.
The high-level forum, convened by International IDEA in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), with support from the EU-funded SPEC project, brought together electoral stakeholders from across Africa to deliberate on strategies for countering information manipulation, cyber threats, and reputational attacks that increasingly distort democratic processes.
PIAK