As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, media professionals and other stakeholders have stressed the importance of accurate, balanced and responsible journalism in preventing misinformation and promoting peaceful democratic participation.
The call was made during the 2026 retreat of the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), where participants examined the legal, security and ethical challenges likely to confront journalists during the election period.
Speaking at the event, the Kano State Secretary to the Government, Umar Faruk-Ibrahim, said the media would have a major responsibility in an election environment characterised by intense political competition and diverse interests.
Represented by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abba Yusuf, Mustapha Muhammad, the SSG noted that election-related stories, headlines, photographs, videos and social media posts could influence how members of the public perceive political developments.
He therefore urged journalists to uphold accuracy, fairness, balance, impartiality and the public interest when covering political activities.
Faruk-Ibrahim also cautioned journalists against publishing content capable of worsening ethnic, religious, regional or political divisions. He specifically advised reporters to exercise restraint when covering allegations, campaign speeches, inflammatory comments and clashes involving political supporters.
The chairman of the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel, Murtala Adewale, said the retreat was organised to prepare journalists for the responsibilities associated with covering the 2027 elections.
The programme, which had the theme, “2027 General Elections: Navigating Legal, Security and Ethical Challenges in the Media,” featured discussions on election laws, security matters, misinformation and professional ethics.
Security agencies also briefed participants on national security considerations surrounding election reporting and expressed their willingness to cooperate with journalists during the electoral process.
Misinformation Remains a Major Concern
Participants noted that the spread of false information has become an important challenge in election coverage, particularly with the growing influence of social media.
The Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition, for instance, reviewed 127 claims during the 2023 general elections, with platforms including X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook identified among the major channels through which misinformation circulated.
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has also warned about the possible consequences of political disinformation, including its potential effect on political participation and post-election tensions.
However, analysts have cautioned against assuming that every disinformation campaign directly determines electoral outcomes. The broader concern, according to the discussions, is the damage such content can cause to public trust and confidence in democratic institutions.
The emergence of artificial intelligence has further complicated the information environment, with deepfake audio, manipulated images and fabricated videos creating additional challenges for journalists and voters.
Journalists Urged to Verify Political Claims
Legal practitioner Abdussalam Yusuf, who presented a paper on the legal and ethical limits surrounding campaign rhetoric, urged journalists to understand the laws governing elections and the responsibilities attached to press freedom.
He advised reporters to distinguish between verified facts, opinions and statements made by political actors.
According to him, a statement made by a politician during a rally should not automatically be treated as factual simply because it was made publicly.
He also warned journalists against becoming channels for spreading unverified allegations, hate speech or inflammatory content that could heighten political tensions.
Yusuf stressed that responsible election reporting requires journalists to verify information before publication and remain within both legal and professional boundaries.
INEC Highlights Changes Ahead of 2027
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Kaduna State, Saidu Ahmed, represented at the retreat by the Electoral Officer for Zaria Local Government, Ahmad Musa, urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the different stages of the electoral process.
These stages include political party primaries, candidate nominations, publication of candidate lists, campaigns, pre-election litigation, voting, collation and post-election petitions.
He advised journalists to rely on verified communication channels of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when reporting sensitive electoral information.
Ahmed also cautioned reporters against treating WhatsApp messages, social media posts, photographs or documents circulated by individuals as official statements from INEC.
Journalists, he said, must also comply with accreditation requirements when covering elections and respect restrictions at polling and collation locations.
Digital Tools Can Help Combat Fake News
Editor-in-Chief of Solacebase Online Media, Abdulateef Abubakar-Jos, encouraged journalists to combine traditional reporting methods with digital verification tools.
He highlighted tools such as Google Lens, reverse image searches and TinEye as useful resources for determining the origin of photographs and identifying whether images have previously appeared elsewhere.
Google Maps, he added, could also help journalists verify locations shown in photographs or videos by comparing identifiable landmarks, roads, buildings and other features.
He emphasised that journalists should not assume that a photograph is authentic simply because it looks convincing, or that a video is genuine merely because it is presented as video evidence.
Stakeholders Seek Stronger Information Integrity
The discussions also highlighted steps being taken by electoral and regulatory authorities to combat misinformation ahead of the 2027 elections.
INEC has worked with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on voter education and information initiatives aimed at addressing false information. The commission has also introduced communication measures targeting misinformation and AI-generated content.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has similarly indicated that its monitoring of election campaigns will cover issues such as fairness, airtime allocation, hate speech, misinformation and compliance with campaign regulations.
Participants also called for closer cooperation among electoral authorities, political parties, media organisations, technology companies, civil society groups and fact-checking organisations to strengthen information integrity.
At the end of the retreat, journalists were encouraged to prioritise their personal safety while covering political events. They were advised to assess their surroundings, work in groups where necessary and avoid clothing or symbols that could make them appear aligned with a political party.
The stakeholders expressed the hope that adherence to professional ethics, electoral laws and verification practices would contribute to responsible media coverage and peaceful democratic participation during and after the 2027 general elections.
