TheCable

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take “proactive steps” to check the circulation of fake election results on social media.

In its final election report, Election Analysis Center (EAC) of CDD also advised the commission to improve on the efficiency of the smart card reader and logistics challenges to avoid hiccups in future election conduct.

The EAC, which was set up by CDD on February 14, is a “one-stop- shop for analysis and countering fake news during the election”.

“Among all the suspected fake news in circulation especially via social media on election day, the CDD-EAC fact checker system identified the following disinformation in the form of anti APC/anti-PDP; anti INEC; and anti-system narratives that were targeted at weakening confidence in the integrity of the political system and the electoral process,” it said.

“In addition, the manipulation of information was a trend in the news on the delivery of electoral material.

“Smart card readers (SCRs) remain one of the most vital integrity checks of elections in Nigeria. Although many of them failed, malfunctioned SCRs were promptly corrected by roving staff of INEC, deployed for the purpose.

“It is noteworthy that generally most of the SCRs worked well and therefore played a role in ensuring the integrity of the elections.

“The Centre is concerned however that in a number of polling units where SCRs malfunctioned, voting proceeded without use of the machines.”

The organisation condemned the outbreak of violence in some states and lamented over the Boko Haram attacks which occurred shortly before the polls opened.

“On election day, Nigerians woke to the news that there had been bomb blasts near Maiduguri, and also on the eve of election day there was report of Boko Haram attacks in Gaidam, Yobe State. We observed that this insecurity situation led to the relocation of voters from Gujba to Damaturu to cast their votes,” it said.

“Similarly, voters in Madagali were also relocated to a safe location in Adamawa to cast their votes. The Analysis centre further note with dismay the violence that marred the polls in some areas in Lagos, Ebonyi, Imo, Rivers, Osun, Oyo, Delta, Kogi and Akwa Ibom. We surmise over twenty people have so far been confirmed killed on election day.

“While ballot box snatching, voting disruption severely dampened morale in Lagos and some of the states mentioned.

“We are in particular concerned about the killing and abduction of election officials. More importantly, is the new trends of ballot snatching and destruction that leads to cancellation or inconclusive elections?

“Adequate security personnel were generally deployed for duty in many polling units but during voting process, there were instances of disruption such as in Lagos and Imo, where no security agent was either present or able to protect electoral officials and voters.”