“INEC CHAIRMAN WARNS: MISINFORMATION, NOT GUNS, BIGGEST THREAT TO 2027 POLLS”
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS–INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan has warned that misinformation amplified by media could pose the greatest threat to Nigeria’s 2027 general election, saying “the most dangerous weapon will not be a ballot-snatcher’s gun but a smartphone-user’s lies amplified by an uncritical broadcast station.”
Key Concerns:
– _”Elections are increasingly being decided in the information space, making the role of broadcasters critical to democratic integrity.”_ – Joash Amupitan
– Misinformation, hate speech, and unequal access to media platforms could undermine the will of the electorate
– _”The airwaves are the primary infrastructure of our democracy.”_ – Amupitan
Electoral Act 2026 Provisions:
– Mandatory equal airtime for political parties
– Strict penalties for violations, including fines up to N5 million and imprisonment
– 24-hour media blackout before election day to prevent voter manipulation
– Restrictions on hate speech and inciting content
The INEC chairman said that despite these provisions, persistent challenges include weak enforcement, commercialisation of airtime, and the dominance of incumbents in media coverage.
He noted that “political actors with greater financial resources dominate broadcast space,” undermining the principle of equal access.
To address these gaps, Amupitan called for closer collaboration between INEC, BON, security agencies, and the judiciary, alongside stronger editorial standards within media organisations.
“Fact-check in real-time, mobilise voters’ turnout, and choose professionalism over profit. Elections are no longer just contested at the polling units. They are contested in the information space,” he said
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