To inform and equip stakeholders to promote peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in South-East Nigeria, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), with the support of the National Democratic Institute (NDI – for International Affairs) has organized in Awka, the Anambra State capital, a regional conference on information narratives for the 2027 general elections in the South-East.
Security agencies, government institutions, civil society organizations, media professionals, community leaders and citizens present at the event examined the challenges and discussed steps to promote responsible information sharing, all aimed at strengthening electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 elections.
In his opening remarks at the event with the theme; “Information Narratives and Electoral Integrity with Focus on the 2027 Elections,” the Director of CDD – West Africa, Dr. Dauda Garuba, represented by CDD’s Election Consultant, Mr. Chibuike Mgbeahuruike, noted that the 2025 Anambra Governorship election presented numerous challenges, including the spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, which informed CDD’s decision to organize the conference in order to contribute to electoral integrity.
The event featured panel discussions on “Information Narratives, Disinformation and Polarization in the Electoral Process,” “Technical Failures, System Resilience and Electoral Management”, “Electoral Apathy and Civic Engagement,” as well as presentation of the CDD – West Africa report titled; “Information Disorder and Electoral Integrity: Lessons from the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election.”
Speaking during the panel discussion on “Electoral Apathy and Civic Engagement,” the Managing Director of the Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office, Mr. Chuka Nnabuife, Anambra State Acting Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Barrister Ifeoma Chijioke, and Anambra FIDA Chairperson, Barrister Amara Muojeke, among other things, recommended the reintroduction of accountability and stewardship forums to enable citizens to hold political leaders accountable, urged INEC to ensure that people’s votes count, and called for legal reforms and strict enforcement to discourage vote-buying, which they noted erodes electoral integrity.
