The Federal Government has said that fake news and hate speech constitute threat to the upcoming general elections in 2019.
The
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this
at the 47th meeting of the National Council on Information in Abuja on
Thursday, with the theme: Tackling fake news and hate speech to enhance
peace and national unity.
He said fake news has the capacity to
alter the course of an election and trigger legitimacy problem for the
winner as it was reported that “Russian interference and the fake news
it promoted probably played a significant role in depressing Hilary
Clinton’s support on the day of the country’s 2016 presidential
elections”.
He said while the traditional media- radio, TV and
print are a bit easier to monitor, fake news and hate speech in the
cyber world are proving to be a headache for government.
”
With the 2019 general elections just a little over 60 days away, there
is no issue that is more relevant to the election than the issue of fake
news and hate speech. The issue transcends political party lines,
religion, ethnicity and even nationality. Left unchecked, fake news and
hate speech constitute the biggest threat to the forthcoming elections.
We are not saying it now, we said so as far back as 2017,” he said.
The
minister who noted that some people have asked that there should be
legislation while others have asked for sanctions stressed that FG will
continue to appeal to the conscience of Nigerians and engage with
relevant stakeholders to uphold the value of truth and curb the
challenge.
He also said the campaign is not just the
responsibility of the FG , hence called on state governments to launch
the campaign in their states.
Governor Nasir Elrufai of Kaduna
state, who was represented by his assistant on media and communication,
Muyiwa Adekeye said FG should give states the broader jurisdiction to
fight fake news in order to compliment the efforts of the government.
Also
speaking, the Director General, Federal Radio Corporations of Nigeria
(FRCN), Mansur Liman said Nigeria which is multi religious and
multi-cultural must ensure it finds a lasting solution to the menace.
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2019 Elections: Fake News Poses Biggest Threat — Lai Mohammed
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2019 Elections: Fake News Poses Biggest Threat — Lai Mohammed
The Federal Government has said that fake news and hate speech constitute threat to the upcoming general elections in 2019.
The
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this
at the 47th meeting of the National Council on Information in Abuja on
Thursday, with the theme: Tackling fake news and hate speech to enhance
peace and national unity.
He said fake news has the capacity to
alter the course of an election and trigger legitimacy problem for the
winner as it was reported that “Russian interference and the fake news
it promoted probably played a significant role in depressing Hilary
Clinton’s support on the day of the country’s 2016 presidential
elections”.
He said while the traditional media- radio, TV and
print are a bit easier to monitor, fake news and hate speech in the
cyber world are proving to be a headache for government.
”
With the 2019 general elections just a little over 60 days away, there
is no issue that is more relevant to the election than the issue of fake
news and hate speech. The issue transcends political party lines,
religion, ethnicity and even nationality. Left unchecked, fake news and
hate speech constitute the biggest threat to the forthcoming elections.
We are not saying it now, we said so as far back as 2017,” he said.
The
minister who noted that some people have asked that there should be
legislation while others have asked for sanctions stressed that FG will
continue to appeal to the conscience of Nigerians and engage with
relevant stakeholders to uphold the value of truth and curb the
challenge.
He also said the campaign is not just the
responsibility of the FG , hence called on state governments to launch
the campaign in their states.
Governor Nasir Elrufai of Kaduna
state, who was represented by his assistant on media and communication,
Muyiwa Adekeye said FG should give states the broader jurisdiction to
fight fake news in order to compliment the efforts of the government.
Also
speaking, the Director General, Federal Radio Corporations of Nigeria
(FRCN), Mansur Liman said Nigeria which is multi religious and
multi-cultural must ensure it finds a lasting solution to the menace.
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