By THE Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD–West Africa), one of the accredited observer groups for the recently concluded Anambra State governorship election, has raised concerns over the impact of disinformation during the poll, revealing that more than 200 fake or misleading publications influenced the exercise.
The international organisation made this known during a joint post-election briefing held in Awka, the state capital, by its Director, Dr Dauda Garuba, and the Chair of the CDD Election Analysis Centre, Professor Victor Adetula.
According to the group, of the over 200 claims tracked during the 2025 Anambra governorship election, 45 were identified as fact-checkable and directly relevant to the electoral process. “Analysis revealed that 54% of these claims were false, 27% were true, while 10% were misleading. The remaining claims required additional context or clarification,” the report stated.
CDD explained that political party candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security personnel were the main targets of disinformation. It added that purveyors of false information weaponised insecurity, hate speech, and even artificial intelligence to distort facts, manipulate public opinion, and undermine the electoral process.
Despite an increase in voter registration, the organisation expressed concern over low voter turnout — recorded at 21.4% — describing it as only a marginal improvement over the 10.2% turnout in 2021. The group attributed the poor participation to voter apathy, economic hardship, and lack of trust in governance.
“A significant proportion of the youth population stayed away from the polls despite their initial enthusiasm during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise,” the statement noted. “Women and persons with disabilities also encountered several barriers, including difficulty accessing polling units and the lack of assistive voting materials.”
CDD called for renewed efforts in civic education, electoral reform, and governance that restores public confidence in the democratic process. It argued that Nigeria’s electoral challenges are symptomatic of wider governance failures, such as weak institutions, elite dominance, insecurity, and poor accountability.
The organisation urged that ongoing electoral reforms should strengthen INEC’s operational capacity through timely funding, decentralised planning, real-time result publication via IReV, early voting for essential personnel, and adequate staff training.
CDD also advised political parties to prioritise voter education, uphold internal democracy, conduct issue-based campaigns, and maintain transparency in campaign financing.
“Elections should not be treated as temporary security events,” the statement continued. “Government at all levels must build a sustainable security framework that ensures year-round safety for citizens, rather than relying on massive security deployments that drain national resources.”
The organisation further emphasised the need to discourage vote-buying through improved governance and sustained civic education. It also called on the National Orientation Agency to take the lead in combating transactional politics and promoting active citizenship.
Moreover, CDD urged stakeholders — including the media, civil society organisations, and security agencies — to collaborate in identifying and debunking disinformation before it spreads. It also encouraged INEC to enhance its communication strategy by providing timely and factual updates to counter false narratives.
“INEC must promote inclusion by working with relevant bodies to train electoral personnel and provide voting aids for marginalised groups,” CDD stated. “As Nigeria prepares for the 2026 off-cycle elections and the 2027 general elections, these reforms must be treated as a priority. The survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends not only on voting but also on the strength of its institutions and governance practices.”
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