Disinformation About Inec Registering Voters in Niger Spreads

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 By Chiagozie Nwonwu

A story that social media users in Nigeria have been sharing that purports that the country's electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) is registering people for voters cards in the neighbouring Niger Republic has been proven to be false.  

 

The false story claimed Inec has over 20 voter registration units in the Niger Republic.


The story appears to have emanated from a user comment under a post by online newspaper Sahara Reporters, it was then screen grabbed and shared across social media, especially WhatsApp. The claims were then amplified by other social media users. 




A Facebook user, Mazi IK Ijezie did this by adding a picture of people queuing and suggesting that they are in one of the centres in Niger.

 

The picture however is old and has been circulating on social media since July 2018. Further checks show it was taken during the governorship election in Ekiti State, in southwest Nigeria. 


Inec Spokesperson Festus Okoye in responding to the story said that the commission is not legally permitted to register voters outside the designated jurisdictional compass of Nigeria hence there is no way registration units can be in the Niger Republic. 

 

He added that if anyone registers using INEC’s online platform, such a person must appear physically for Biometric capturing if they needed to vote.


Mr Okoye concluded that the claim is part of the emotive divisive narrative that fits into and profits from the ethnic and religious divides in the country.

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