Kogi Elections: Politicians Spread Fake News To Delegitimize INEC – CDD

Posted by: Folamidavid in Politics, News Nov 18, 2019

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has come out to say that political parties used fake news to delegitimize Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during Kogi governorship election.

Ms Idayat Hassan, Director CDD, revealed this in the group’s preliminary statement on the conduct of Saturday’s Kogi governorship election.

Idayat disclosed that the CDD’s electoral environment observation report actually predicted it beforehand and it happened.

Her words, “Some of the fake news circulated today include the disqualification of the PDP candidates, false results, fake images of thugs arrested and snatching of ballot papers.

”CDD fact-checkers were able to debunk most of the fake news.

“The hoaxes are mainly intended at delegitimising INEC and the process; again, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp are the leading platforms used to spread disinformation.”

In polling unit 001 in Ward 4, Dekina LGA, CDD observers reported sporadic gunfire;violent caused by rival party thugs who battled one other over control of the polling environment.

“These were in Felele and Ganaja areas of Lokoja LGA, especially in Registration Area 08, Oworo, Felele Area, PU 004. In Ankpa 1 Polling Unit (PU) with number 2203-04-0 in Ankpa LGA.”

Do you believe?

Kogi, is a state in the central region (Middle-Belt) of Nigeria. It is popularly called the Confluence State because of the confluence of River Niger and River Benue at its capital, Lokoja, which is the first administrative capital of modern-day Nigeria.

Agriculture is the main part of the state economy with fishing in the riverine areas like Lokoja, Idah, Baji,etc., and the state also has coal, petroleum, steel and other mineral industries.

The main ethnic groups are Igala, Ebira, and Okun.

The state was created in 1991 from parts of Kwara State and Benue State. The state as presently constituted, comprises the people of the Kabba Province of Northern Nigeria. One of the first Qadi in the Kogi State was Faruk Imam.

There are three main ethnic groups and languages in Kogi: Igala, Ebira, and Okun (a Yoruba Group) with other such as Bassa-Nge, a people of Nupe extraction in Lokoja and Bassa Local Government Area, Bassa-Komo of Bassa Local Government Area, Gwari, Kakanda, Oworo people(A Yoruba Group), Ogori, Magongo, Idoma and the pure NUPE people of Eggan community under Lokoja Local Government.