Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has described fake news and disinformation as constituting a potent threat to the successful conduct of the 2023 general elections.
Mohammed stated this Tuesday in an opening remark at the 4th edition of the “PMB Administration Scorecard 2015-2023” series, which hosted the Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in Abuja.
Recalling the launch of the national campaign against fake news, disinformation and hate speech in 2018, the minister said the federal government’s strategy had been to use persuasion and enlightenment, rather than coercion; hence his ministry decided to partner a number of media houses for the campaign.
He, however, said: “The increasing resort to fake news and disinformation by a section of the media is becoming a great threat to the success of the 2023 general election.
“It is generally assumed that thuggery, insecurity, vote buying, attack on INEC facilities, etc, are the biggest threats to the elections, but fake news and disinformation constitute an equally-potent threat, because they are capable of hampering the success of the polls.
“In recent times, we have all witnessed how a letter purportedly from INEC was used to cast aspersions on the candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
“Shortly after that, the death of an innocent man was turned to a political tool to further attack the same APC candidate. Of course, there have been other cases similar to the two I have just enumerated. This is a dangerous development which must be nipped in the bud. If the opposition has suddenly realized that they cannot match the ruling party in a free and fair election, and have thus decided to weaponize fake news and disinformation, the media should not allow itself to be used for that nefarious purpose.
“We have all seen the damage done to elections in other climes by fake news and disinformation. No government will sit by and allow anyone or any organisation to use fake news and disinformation to sow the seeds of discord. We are therefore compelled to warn the purveyors of fake news and disinformation, especially in the run-up to next year’s elections, to stop forthwith. Enough is enough.”
He said the ministry began the PMB Scorecard Series last month as part of efforts to massively showcase the numerous achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration; aimed at consolidating our past efforts at highlighting these achievements.
According to the minister, the town hall meetings, press conferences, Radio and TV documentaries, media appearances and testimony series were some of the programmes designed to tell Nigerians what the administration had done since assuming office 2015.
Interior minister
Speaking on the achievements of his ministry, Ogbeni Aregbesola said, before President Buhari took over in 2015; many local government areas in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states were under the control of Boko Haram insurgency.
He described the massive deployment of equipment and personnel to the troubled North east and North-west to address insecurity as commendable.
He also commended President Buhari for the reforms in all the agencies in his ministry as key to the relative peace and tranquility in the country and assured that more would be done to take the nation to the Promised Land as the administration winds up in May 2023.
Al-Mustapha warns
Sounding similar warning on 2023 polls, the presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Major Al- Mustapha (rtd), said the proliferation of arms and hard drugs are twin evils capable of threatening the election.
He, however, urged Nigerians to take more than passing interest in arms proliferation on the eve of a general elections.
Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Sani Abacha, spoke at a roundtable discussion on “Contemporary Security Challenges and their effects on 2023 general elections” in Abuja, organized by the Platinum Post Newspaper.
He said: “As of today, all the agencies in Nigeria and I’m sure the representative of the Inspector General of Police, if he’s aware of what I’m going to talk about, new discoveries of movements of drugs, arms, are coming into Nigeria through numerous borders and in large quantities. I’m talking of now as I speak. But I’m sure the society is not aware.
“The question is at whose instance are these new weapons coming in? Why the increase? Who are the vendors? Who have sent for it? Is it politicians? What is the plan, can election hold? Has friction started between political parties and candidates and their supporters?
“The question is who is sending the arms? To reinforce the insurgency or to reinforce the political side of it?
“This is as at now the major issue in the laboratory of national security management of Nigeria, as at now that I talked to you.”
Threat to polls
Expressing the fear that the proliferation of weapons in the country might mar the general elections, he said those entrusted with the protection of lives and properties have not done enough since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
“From 1999 to date, if the performance of security managers is to be tabled, it is most unfortunate. There are those who truly worked hard. There are numerous ones who died. Numerous widows were registered in barracks. Orphans are all over.
“Victims of insurgency are still littered all across the country and are hardly catered for in a country that is rich. With that devastating effect for 23 years in a country like ours, we have not sat down to look at changing our doctrines from military to civil in terms of peace education, peace maintenance, shock into the people and creating remunerations.
“Here there is leadership deficit at all levels that do not show care to the poor. The security managers of Nigeria are the ones I am talking about. You would be busy pouring water on stone. But the stone remains the same. When sun comes and wind blows the stone becomes,” he said.
Ortom speaks
Also speaking, Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom claimed that Permanent Voters Cards were already in wrong hands in the country.
Governor Ortom urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make provision for over two million Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in his state.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals, Professor Magdalene Dura, Governor Ortom decried a development where “illegal migrants who crossed our borders with arms are also going to vote to decide who becomes President. There is need for government to ensure credibility of the electoral process.”
The governor also expressed concern over the fate of over two million citizens of his state in the IDP camps whom he said, were rendered homeless as a result of insurgency.
He said: “There is lack of equity and justice in Nigeria. INEC needs to have comprehensive data on the IDPS, so that they can create Polling Units for IDPs. Is it not possible for INEC to ensure that those displaced return to their homes to vote? INEC must open discussions with IDPs to know what they need.”
Ganduje
In his remarks, Kano state Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who chaired the occasion, stressed the need to ensure the safety and security of voters, election personnel, materials, candidates, party agents, observers, the media practitioners during the electioneering process.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Usman Bala Mohammed, Ganduje called on the electorates to eschew acts of violence and other negative tendencies that could mar the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
He said: “The importance of the topic in relation to the nation’s current security situation in the face of an election cannot be over emphasised. And more so, my state, Kano is among states in the federation, and particularly in the North that have had one challenge or the other, which we have, with the will of God the Almighty, been able to surmount. Kano is now one of the most peaceful states in the federation.
“Your Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen, insecurity is one of the biggest challenges facing the conduct of the 2023 general elections. Ensuring the safety and security of voters, election personnel, materials, candidates, party agents, observers, the media and transporters etc is paramount.
“The responsibility has become more challenging in the context of the current asymmetric security situation in the country. With about a few months until the next general elections, there is no better time for proactive measures than now to ensure that the nation is secure enough for elections to be held across the nooks and crannies of the country.
“However, despite the severity of the security challenges facing next year’s polls, I believe that the relevant security agencies have the potency to ensure that the process is made peaceful and secure by synergizing effectively, review the operational strategies and optimally deploy all their operational assets towards addressing current and evolving general security threats ahead of the elections.”
IGP
Also, Inspector General of Police Baba Alkali assured that the forthcoming general elections would hold in all parts of the country.
Represented by CP Kene Onwuemelie, the IGP said “all arrangements have been put in place to ensure a violent-free elections. We are using this opportunity to warn trouble makers to have a change of minds; hence the hand of law will not spare them.”
Publisher’s remarks
Earlier in his opening remarks, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Platinum Post Edwin Olofu had justified the choice of the topic for the roundtable.
He said: “This year’s theme: ‘Contemporary Security Challenges And Their Effects On The 2023 general elections,’ is not only timely but very important considering the fact that there is a relationship between security and the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections.
“Going by the campaigns and debates on issues relating to the governance of the country by candidates of the leading political parties, there is no doubt that the election is potentially going to be the most keenly contested exercise in Nigeria’s political history.
“As members of the fourth estate of the realm, it is incumbent on us to mobilise the citizenry to prove the naysayers who are already instilling fears in the minds of the electorates that the election could be marred due to spate of violent crimes in parts of the country.”
