Federal Government of Nigeria has vowed that it will not stand by and allow some miscreants with access to phones and data to destabilize the country while warned the purveyors of fake news and disinformation to desist from it ahead of the forthcoming elections
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who raised alarm over increasing wave of fake news at the PMB Scorecard Media Series in Abuja on Tuesday, said the government is not and cannot be helpless with this rises of disinformation.
He recalled that during the 4th edition of this series on Nov. 22nd, 2022, Alhaji Mohammed said fake news and disinformation constitute a potent threat to the elections, because as it capable of hampering its success. I reiterated this during the 12th edition on December 14th 2022″.
According to him, “With about three weeks to the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Feb. 25th, I can say, unequivocally, that there has been a worrisome and astronomical increase in the use of fake news and disinformation, making this a clear and present danger to the success of the elections”, the Minister said.
Alhaji Mohammed noted that the increase of fake news is undoubtedly the work of some destabilizing agents, some of them linked to the opposition.
“They are churning out fake news and disinformation on an industrial scale. Their sole aim is to destabilize the electoral process and plunge the nation into crisis”.
Speaking of this fake news, the Presidency has debunked the stone pelting at President Muhammadu Buhari during his last visit at Kano State, explaining that it was a clash between the local road transport authorities,
“The Kano Road Transport Authority, KAROTA and thugs hired by yet-to-be identified group that took place when the President was being treated to a banquet at the Government House, well after he had finished his projects commissioning.
Senior Special Assistance to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on Tuesday, explained further that the President was in the state to work on the development, safety and security of the lives of common citizens and the happy thing about it was that the good people of Kano State were appreciative of him for the progress the state and the nation at large are making under him.
“The divisive rhetoric of an opposition in a futile attempt to malign the image of the President and the candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the coming elections, and its desperate wedge-driving activities to cause a division between the party and the government is not what will give them victory.
“A so-called leading opposition party that controls 14 states, going into elections with eight or nine of the states in tow should look inwards to see why their campaign is flagging and destined to fail. Their defeat is a foretold story by many discerning individuals.
“The stone-pelters as seen from the video in the fight against the traffic police were innocent children sponsored by politicians and terrorist sympathizers. There is no place for violence in a democracy.
*The PDP should use the opportunity of the electioneering to put their point of view in a democracy. When problems can be resolved through talks, there is no place for stone-pelting, arson and unruly behavior as we are witnessing in some of the campaigns.
“It is equally unhealthy for society and it becomes the duty of political, social and religious leaders to correctly inform the misled youngsters to shun the path of violence which is inimical to their own future.
“Lastly is to say that the President has not lost his command and respect in Kano. For those who hold the border closure against him, they must come to realise that the 60-70 integrated rice mills in the city today would not have been in place if he had allowed the free-for-all smuggling to continue” he said.