2027: Sensational Reporting Can Worsen Voter Apathy, INEC Warns Punishers 

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has warned online publishers against sensational election reporting, saying fake news and unverified claims can weaken public trust and discourage voters.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the warning on Thursday in Lagos at the 10th Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers(GOCOP).

The conference, themed “2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities,” brought together publishers, editors, election stakeholders, civil society groups and academics.

Amupitan said the media had a major responsibility in shaping public understanding of the electoral process. He cautioned that inaccurate reports could damage confidence long after the original reports had circulated.

“Fake news, unverified leaks, and sensationalised reports directly destroy public trust, incite civil unrest, and induce voter apathy,” Amupitan said.

He noted that the speed of digital information often outpaces the process of verifying facts. This, he said, had created opportunities for misinformation and disinformation during election periods.

The INEC chairman also warned about coordinated information campaigns, political violence narratives, synthetic media and artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes.

According to him, such content could inflame ethnic tensions and undermine confidence in electoral institutions.

Amupitan urged online publishers to put accuracy ahead of the race to break news. He also advised them to reject clickbait headlines and verify election-related claims before publication.

He said publishers should provide adequate context when reporting operational challenges during elections. Isolated incidents, he added, should not automatically become evidence of systemic failure.

The INEC chairman specifically urged media organisations to verify information with the commission and other credible sources when reporting polling-unit results, electoral irregularities and allegations of manipulation.

He proposed a three-point partnership between INEC and GOCOP to strengthen election reporting ahead of the 2027 polls.

The partnership will focus on digital fact-verification, stronger editorial self-regulation and a national voter-education programme.

Amupitan said online publishers had become “primary storytellers and narrative custodians” of Nigeria’s democracy.

He urged them to use their platforms to educate voters about the electoral process and encourage greater participation.

The call comes as INEC prepares for nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs), which begins on Friday, October 9.

Amupitan disclosed that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters had reached 103 million following the conclusion of the three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise. ([Freedom Online][1])

He urged online publishers to use their platforms to inform registered voters about PVC collection and direct them to the appropriate collection centres.

Beyond voter education, Amupitan said the commission was strengthening its systems ahead of the 2027 elections.

He disclosed that INEC was using artificial intelligence for data auditing and had deployed additional cybersecurity measures through partnerships with global technology companies, including Google and Microsoft.

“In strategic partnership with global technological leaders, including Google and Microsoft, we have embedded automated AI data-auditing tools and multi-layered firewalls to shield our databases against cyber intrusions, distributed denial-of-service(DDoS) attacks, and unauthorised data injection,” he said.

The commission, he added, was also engaging its Resident Electoral Commissioners, Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Department, Electoral Officers and Assistant Electoral Officers.

The engagements are designed to identify operational gaps and introduce corrective measures before Election Day.

Amupitan said INEC had commenced comprehensive training for election personnel. The programme covers electoral administration, technology handling, conflict mitigation and legal compliance.

He also disclosed that the commission had started early procurement and distribution of non-sensitive electoral materials to its 36 state offices and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).

According to him, the early procurement would give the commission enough time for batching, inventory auditing and distribution to the 774 local government areas.

INEC has also procured new operational pick-up vehicles for state offices and local government areas, he said.

The vehicles are expected to address transportation challenges in difficult terrains, riverine communities and remote border settlements.

Amupitan said INEC had introduced a centralised Operational Activity Schedule to monitor material movement, storage security and vehicle deployment in real time.

At the conference, Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami, also clarified the constitutional authority to declare election results.

Salami explained that the Constitution vests the power to return an election result in the Returning Officer appointed by INEC.

He stressed that holding an INEC position does not automatically confer the constitutional authority to return election results.

“Even as a Resident Electoral Commissioner, I do not have the constitutional power to announce or return an election result,” Salami explained.

Earlier, the conference chairman, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, urged INEC to ensure that the 2027 elections are free, fair and credible.

Agbakoba also raised issues expected to shape political debate ahead of the polls, including the future of fuel subsidy.

He challenged presidential candidates to explain their positions on the subsidy regime and what they would do differently if elected.

The former Nigerian Bar Association president also questioned the growing circulation of opinion polls, election projections and unofficial results across traditional and digital media.

He asked whether such projections should face the same verification and fact-checking standards expected of other election-related information.

The conference underscored the need for stronger cooperation between INEC, the media and other stakeholders as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.