2023: Fact checkers warn politicians against spreading disinformation

The Nigerian fact checkers coalition has appealed to Nigerian politicians to desist from spreading disinformation ahead of the 2023 election campaign.

In an open letter to politicians, the group said misinformation and influence peddling posses a great threat to the credibility of the 2023 general elections.   Adding that accurate information plays a key role in the electoral choices voters make.

“The election season is here, and the narratives are building up around candidates, political parties, and issues. 

“This is an appeal from us, fact checkers working in Nigeria, to you, politicians, whether you are contesting the 2023 elections or not. It is the duty of all citizens to ensure that this seventh general election since 1999 is credible by all standards.

“The media, especially social media, is awash with loads of information aimed at pushing one political agenda or the other. There are claims and counter-claims, some of which advance existing ethnic and religious narratives, and engender distrust among Nigerians,” the letter partly reads.

The coalition emphasised its commitment to non-partisanship, fairness and the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).

“We have internal processes and methodologies that mandate us to present factual, fair, independent and objective reports devoid of personal biases and opinions.

“We are independent and apolitical; we are neither for any political candidate nor party,” the coalition said.

Furthermore, the group advised politicians to desist from making false claims, and the need to take responsibility by publicly debunking false information emanating from their camps.

“We invite you to join the fight against the spread of misinformation this election season. You owe it to the people you desire to serve to provide accurate information and ensure they are not deceived or intimidated as they head to the polls.

“It is important to note that it is not enough for you to avoid making false claims and spreading misleading information, you must take responsibility for debunking false information related to your candidacy or your party, even if it advances your campaign.”

The group made it known that they will closely monitor public utterances by political aspirants and public figures.

“We are watching. We are monitoring the media to spot misinformation and call out disinformation schemes,” the coalition said.

Members of the coalition come from ten media organisations, including TheCable, Africa Check, Dubawa, FactCheckHub, FactsMatterNG, Daily Trust, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), The Insight and International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).