October 31, (THEWILL) – No fewer than 80 journalists from the print, electronic and online media in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States have started receiving training on fact-checking to aid the credibility of electoral information ahead of the governorship elections on November 11, 2023.
The workshops kick-start the iVerify project of the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, Nigeria supported by the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP).
27 male and female journalists from Kogi State participated in the first leg of the training in Abuja, FCT, on October 27 and 28, while another 27 from Bayelsa State are currently attending the workshop in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 27 journalists from Imo State will be trained later in the week.
Presentations at the workshops include the Art of Questioning in Journalism and Being Detectives of Misinformation by Mr. Taiwo Obe, founder, Journalism Clinic; Fact-checking of Information to Promote Electoral Integrity by Mr. David Ajikobi, Nigerian Editor of Africa Check; Combating Electoral Information Disorder or Fake News – the INEC Experience by Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman; and the Dangers of Information Disorder or Fake News to Peace Building & Conflict Resolution by Dr. Emmanuel Mamman, Director of Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Addressing the Kogi and Bayelsa participants, Mr. Matthew Alao, Team Lead, Governance, Peace & Security of UNDP Nigeria, said electoral disinformation and fake news, in general, are major threats to the ability of citizens to have the right information during electoral processes and elections, therefore, also constituting threats to democracy.
Speaking, IPC Programme Manager, Mrs. Stella Nwofia, said the iVerify project is enabling IPC to continue with its mission of promoting good journalism through best practices ensuring the factual accuracy of news.
According to her, the objective of the training is to equip the journalists with the requisite skills and knowledge to enhance the integrity of information on the electoral processes in their respective states, especially the campaigns, conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and post-election democratic accountability and governance issues.
She said the workshops would build the skills of the journalists on how to use fact-checking tools to combat the menace of false information during the electioneering period and also introduce them to the workings of the iVerify system and its likely role.
Media professional organisations collaborating with IPC on the iVerify project, which nominated some of the participants include the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
Highlights of the workshops can be followed on IPC’s social media channels with the HASHTAG #VerifyBeforeYouShare.
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