The multi-pronged assault on the facts in the 2023 general election

A 2023 Pre-election investigation by Afrobarometer, A pan-African research network, find that 70 by hundred of respondents In Nigeria said they to want A democracy. But little more that A In four registered voters In THE country exercised their RIGHT has vote In last years presidential election. This exam of THE presence And role of FAKE information Before, during And After THE competition East THE First of all In A series of stories that raised sharp questions about THE elections legitimacy, as GOOD as THE current Status And future path of democracy In Africa most people nation, ARINZÉ CHIJIOKE, SHEHU OLAYINKA And SODEEQ ATANDA report.

On FEBRUARY 11, 2023, 14 days Before Nigeria presidential election, ancient aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode wrote A Tweeter that appeared has question if THE country was about has experience another cut status attempt.

Peoples Democratic To party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar was would have holding A secret meeting with army general has to spill THE government, he wrote.

"For what would be A presidential candidate to have secret meetings with soldiers 14 days Before THE election?" THE job thread read. "East This meeting part of THE wider agenda has disturb THE elections, destabilize THE country, together We on fire, encourage chaos And violence, to provoke A cut status…?”

Fani-Kayode, SO THE director of special media projects And new media of THE Campaign Advice of THE All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria decision to party, had has less 1.2 million social media followers has THE time of THE election.

Several days later, THE State Security Service interrogates Fani-Kayode For five hours. After A 14 tweets thread affirming that he had do "Nothing fake" In SEO Nigeria bloody history And tortuous road has democracy, Fani-Kayode Express regret And explain that he failed has check THE news source, according to has Prime Times.

He was A temporary retirement.

Fani-Kayode later do other declarations THE Center For Collaborative Investigator Journalism (CCJI) find has be misleading. For example, on April 12, 2023, he claims that Work To party presidential candidate, Rock Obi, had has been deported has Nigeria by British authorities. (Work To party Campaign Advice spokesperson, Diran Onifade, said that Obi was detained And interrogates about A imitation crime involving her name. Every day Trust newspaper Also debunked THE claim that Obi was expelled.)

However, This East not THE history of A powerful ancient government official. It is A investigation In THE difficult to quantify but nevertheless real And negative impact of A multi-front assault on THE truth Before And After last years Nigerian presidential election.

To party spokesperson, journalists, And social media influencers help generate FAKE information that received millions of views during that time, according to has A analysis by CCJI. From involving THE presence of A unfounded cut plot has diffusion FAKE election results has foment ethnic discord, a few of these posts stay on THE authors' social media pages more that A year After they were do And has THE time of This publication.

CCJI revised many reports of election disinformation Since spokesperson, news electrical outlets And social media influencers. Those WHO propagated FAKE information confronted minimal consequences Since either THE social media platforms Or THE Nigerian government.

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) sent A letter date Can 15, 2024, In which he said he was functioning on answers has A detailed list of questions CCJI had submitted In April. He had not provided answers by THE time of This publication. THE social media platforms decreases has comment For This article.

HAS THE t...