The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a capacity-building workshop for its Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) to strengthen credible, verified and responsible election communication ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The workshop, themed “Strengthening PAOs Capacity for Credible, Verified and Responsible Election Communication Towards 2027,” is aimed at equipping the officers with practical communication skills to effectively engage the media, address emerging information challenges and support the Commission’s public communication activities at the state level.
Declaring the workshop open, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, described PAOs as frontline communicators who play a critical role in maintaining communication between the Commission and the public.
Haruna said PAOs serve as an important link between INEC and citizens through the statements they prepare, enquiries they handle and support they provide to Resident Electoral Commissioners and Heads of Department, Voter Education and Publicity.
He stressed that the credibility of INEC’s public communication depends significantly on the quality, accuracy and reliability of information disseminated by its public affairs personnel.
The National Commissioner noted that the communication environment had become increasingly complex due to the rapid growth of social media and the emergence of generative artificial intelligence.
Haruna referenced recent remarks by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, where he emphasised the relationship between electoral technology and communication in strengthening election credibility.
He said the workshop was therefore designed to prepare INEC communication officers to identify, verify and respond appropriately to misinformation and disinformation as the country approaches the 2027 General Election.
