The Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State has called on media practitioners to help counter fake news ahead of the August 15 governorship election. Resident Electoral Commissioner Oluwatoyin Babalola made the appeal Tuesday in Osogbo during a voter education event organised by the EU-SDGN in collaboration with INEC headquarters. She described the media as critical to safeguarding electoral integrity and urged journalists to verify information before publishing, stressing the need to counter false narratives, doctored videos and fake results. "The role of the media as a partner in voter education, information dissemination, and public enlightenment cannot be over-emphasized," Babalola said. She warned that disinformation could erode public trust, incite violence and delegitimize election outcomes. Babalola said INEC would provide accurate information through official channels and asked journalists to rely on them when reporting. She also highlighted the importance of creating voter education materials in local languages and accessible formats to reach more residents. The event brought together INEC officials and media executives to develop strategies for effective public engagement. Earlier, Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society, Dr Akin Akingbulu, urged journalists to actively educate the public on their civic responsibilities. He said the media must monitor campaign promises, assess public reception of political messages and scrutinise INEC's election preparations. Akingbulu advised practitioners to "reflect, interrogate, and rank" issues, noting their influence could extend beyond immediate audiences.
Oluwatoyin Babalola warns of fake results and doctored videos undermining the Osun poll, yet INEC has not disclosed how it will detect or respond to such threats in real time. The media is being asked to verify information through INEC's official channels, but no timeline or mechanism has been given for how quickly the commission will correct false claims. If INEC's response to misinformation is delayed, journalists may be forced to report unverified claims to keep the public informed. This gap could leave voters exposed to manipulation despite calls for truth and verification.
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