Solomon Ndahi, a Nigerian news editor and journalist, has expressed concern about the alarming reportage of some false news about the ongoing elections.
He indicated that most of the disturbing reports and videos about the elections are not reality, as he believes such acts are only attempts to create tension and chaos among voters.
In an exclusive interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, he reiterated that such speculations about unverified news have been the cause of some recurring unrest and disturbances in the country.
“We have had and heard a lot of allegations and accusations coming in from different quarters of the election empire, or INEC, as we call it here in Nigeria, trying to manipulate the votes in favor of a particular candidate. Meanwhile, INEC has also come out to deny such speculations and reports. But one thing I would want the people to know, not only in Nigeria but around the world, is that Nigeria has been suffering from the menace of fake news. “Ever more present because of these elections,” Mr. Ndahi told e.t.v. Ghana’s Samuel Eshun.
“In the last 2-3 years, especially in the last year, we’ve seen so much fake news, and as a journalist who works directly with the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, you’ll see that he’s been very important — always coming out and being precise,” he added.
Solomon Ndahi further acknowledged the significance of information in the digital era. However, he urged colleagues journalists and netizens to double-check their sources before sharing their news.
He called for calm as he referenced the dire effects of fake news on the 1994 genocide. “Of course, information is good and good to disseminate – verified information is good to share, and there’s freedom of speech and information. But do not come out to speculate about what you’re not sure of because that is fake news and can be dire for the country. When you remember what happened in 1994, it was fake news that actually led to the beginning of that very horrible and unforgiving genocide. So lots of these reports people have been seeing about the Nigerian elections are very old. “Some of these are deliberate attempts to spread falsehood and create tension,” he added.
Meanwhile, counting is still underway in the just-ended general elections in Nigeria.
Turnout appears to be high, especially among young people, who make up about a third of the 87 million eligible voters.
The election has seen an unprecedented challenge to the two-party system that has dominated Nigeria for 24 years.
The candidates comprise Peter Obi from the previously little-known Labour Party, Mr. Tinubu from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and 15 others.
So far official results from the south-western Ekiti state show a clear victory for ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu in one of his strongholds.
By: Jude Tackie
