No fewer than 24 civil society organizations (CSOs) have coalesced to tackle voter misinformation in the forthcoming general elections. The organizations, which are being coordinated by the Food Basket Foundation International (FBFI), have set the template to track and expose fake news being circulated by political parties, candidates and their supporters which could negatively impact the outcome of the elections.
Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital at the weekend, FBFI Executive Director, Dr. Funmi Akinyele, disclosed that 24 CSOs came together to implement the project with the support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She explained that the project was aimed at combating voter misinformation, disinformation and improve inclusive voter and civic education for the overall well-being of democracy in Nigeria.
Working together on the project themed ‘Safeguarding Digital Civic Space for Electoral Integrity (SDSEI),’ the CSOs formed clusters and will collaborate on various components of the project. The loose clusters of mostly youth-led CSOs and Business Membership Orgnisations from diverse areas within the social sector, will track and expose false contents that clog the digital space on the elections. The project will specifically address restrictions on internet freedom, improve online information access, protect voters from electoral misinformation and disinformation and improve inclusive online information access (civic and voter education for vulnerable people).
Akinyele further explained that SDSEI, through research, policy analysis and constructive discussions with the government and corporate sector, also seeks to defend the digital civic space from all forms of repression. She said SDSEI project will engage critical stakeholders across government, telecommunications, civil society, and the general public, who have been united by an overarching interest in protecting the online civic space to maximise the benefits and minimise the threats for proper enlightenment and education of the populace on their civic rights regarding the general elections, irrespective of cultural, religious and political affiliations.
She said: “The SDSEI’s objective is to protect online civic space by combating voter misinformation and disinformation while improving access to accurate civic information inclusively. This project will create easily digestible factsheets and train fact-checkers across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. Part of our strategy is to engage the media, as critical stakeholders, regarding their role in countering misinformation and disinformation by holding press conferences across the six geo- political zones. In addition, we hope to have improved inclusivity in access to the online voter and civic information for vulnerable and marginalized groups, including people living with disabilities (PLWD), women, and youth,” Akinyele said.