INEC Warns Journalists against Amplifying Unverified Election Results
Boniface Okoro in Umuahia The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned journalists against amplifying unverified election results, manipulated content and misinformation capable of undermining public confidence in the 2027
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned journalists to refrain from spreading unverified election results, manipulated content and misinformation that could damage public trust in the 2027 general election. Prof. Sylvia Uchenna Agu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Abia State, cautioned journalists at a media retreat in Umuahia, emphasizing the importance of verification over speed.
She highlighted emerging threats such as misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes, cloned voices, and falsified result sheets, urging media organizations to prioritize fact-checking before publishing. Agu advised journalists to cross-check election-related information with INEC before reporting and to avoid declaring results based on unauthorized sources, as failure to verify could lead to credibility challenges.
She called on the media to support voter education by explaining key provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, including voter accreditation, electronic transmission of results, and transparency. INEC is also enhancing technological preparedness by upgrading the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the electronic Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and the electronic EC8A, which can detect inconsistencies between manually completed result sheets and electronically captured results.
The REC assured Nigerians that INEC is strengthening cybersecurity, protecting election data, improving system monitoring, and exploring responsible AI use, while describing journalists as a critical constitutional partner under the Nigerian Constitution.
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