A two-day review session on the effect of misinformation on the 2023 elections has come and gone with a call on citizen journalists to apply necessary caution and ethics in disseminating information.
The two days review, organized by Center for Democracy and Development, CDD-West Africa, in partnership with National Endowment for Democracy, NED, took place in Owerri, Imo State capital with journalists, members of different Civil Society Organizations, women and youth groups from the five South East states in attendance.
In his opening remark, the National Director, Center for Democracy and Development, CDD, Mr. Idayat Hassan, said that the review was aimed at sharing both individual and media experiences on effects of misinformation and disinformation as regards 2023 elections.
Mr. Hassan, represented by the Senior Program Manager, CDD, Mr. Damian Ihekoronye, disclosed that at the end of the session, they targeted to frame the experiences and resolutions better for future engagement.
He called on journalists as agenda setters to rise up to their responsibilities, ensure that credibility is brought back to the media and media information and nip in the bud, the challenges that misinformation and disinformation are about setting in the system in Nigeria.
While anchoring “Reviewing the Information Landscape and Solution Development, the assistant program officer CDD, Mr. Peter Yohanna, unveiled that in summation, participants from various locations across the zone, uniformly proposed a multi-faceted approach to tackle ‘fake news, misinformation and disinformation in the Nigeria’s electoral system.
According to him, they also highlighted the need for media organizations to be factual and responsible while recognizing the potential of citizenship journalism in enhancing the overall accuracy and credibility of information related to elections.
The two days review session, climaxed with the review of the disinformation landscape before, during and after the 2023 general elections, anchored by CDD Moderator, Mr. Afolabi Adekaiyaoja.
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