2019 - The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has set up an Election Analysis Centre (EAC) to identify and counter fake news during this year’s general elections.

Idayat Hassan, CDD Executive Director, who disclosed this during the official launch of the Election Analysis Centre (EAC) in Abuja, said it would also provide rigorous analysis on the election.

Hassan said EAC would be a one-stop shop where a team of reputable analysts would provide accurate and real-time analysis of events in the build-up to the poll.

The centre would also provide information on Election Days and during post-election period in a more captivating, enriching and systematic manner, according to Hassa.

“A separate fake news unit will be created as part of the EAC to hunt down disinformation that may trigger fear and violence during the election.

“It will provide informed analysis grounded in historical facts and data spanning 1999-2015 general election inclusive of off-cycle poll.

“A team of six fact-checkers will man the unit joined by a top disinformation expert Dan Arnaudo from Washington DC-based National Democratic Institute. Together, the team will spot, investigate and counter fake news during the election,” Hassan said

She said as millions of voters head to over 100,000 polling units starting from Saturday, the CDD would deploy 3,500 observers across the 8,809 political wards of the country.

She said, “The observers would use a specially designed GPS-enabled CDD Election Tracker that would enable accredited field observers to report on the accreditation.

“This would be complemented by SMS technology and CDD would also work on vote tallying and verification at the loose collation phase of the election.”

Stating that the centre has carefully selected its team of analysts and that the EAC would be led by former electoral commissioner Prof. Adele Jinadu, and Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, CDD’s former director and senior fellow of the centre.

She names others as Prof. Nuhu Yaqub, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, political commentator and associate prof. of political science and Dr Jideofor Adibe.

Others are election expert, Dr. Kari Muhammad; and Dr Joe Abah, former head of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms.

Also speaking, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Philip Baker, said the country was supporting democracy in Nigeria and was glad with the signing of peace accord by presidential candidates.

Baker said this was a huge step for Nigeria’s democracy and assurance of a peaceful poll.