An increasing appreciation for the challenge of ‘fake news’ has led to more investment in fact-checking. But, in a very contentious election, this could be the difference between a peaceful transfer of power or violent post-election scenario.
The 2023 general elections are already being keenly contested, but information is fast becoming the most fraught battleground. Through different platforms, people share propaganda as videos, made-up quotes, and as fabricated articles made to look authentic in an attempt to push a hidden agenda. While the problem is not new, the current phase is particularly challenging, given the scope of the manipulation. This strategy of deliberately spreading inaccurate information and rumours is now a commonplace in Nigerian politics and given our historical religious and ethnic fault lines, it further aggravates tensions in our fragile polity...
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