By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has warned that misinformation, artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes and weak accountability could undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to establish a digital fact-verification channel for journalists.

The warning was contained in a communiqué issued in Lagos on October 10, 2026, and signed by GOCOP President, Danlami Nmodu, mni, and General Secretary, Sufuyan Ojeifo, following the Guild’s 10th Annual Conference held on October 7 and 8 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

The conference, themed “2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities,” brought together media professionals, electoral officials, security representatives, academics, civil society leaders and policymakers to examine the challenges facing the next general elections.

According to the communiqué, trust remains the decisive factor in the electoral process, but public confidence is weak. It cited a survey presented at the conference which indicated that only 38 per cent of Nigerians believe elections are credible.

The Guild stressed that technological improvements alone would not restore public confidence without transparent institutions and verifiable electoral processes.

It observed that INEC had outlined structural, technological and logistical preparations, including upgraded result-integrity systems, artificial intelligence-assisted data auditing and cyber defences developed with technology partners, including Google and Microsoft.

However, GOCOP urged the commission to match its assurances with evidence by publishing timely information on logistics, technology tests and result management at every stage of the electoral process.

The communiqué stated that INEC should “immediately activate the proposed Digital Media Fact-Verification Channel” to enable editors to confirm field reports, security incidents and technical issues before publication.

The Guild said the proposed channel would help media organisations verify sensitive information before publishing reports capable of influencing voters’ perceptions of the election.

It also warned that fake news, unverified leaks, synthetic media and AI-generated deepfakes could inflame divisions, discourage voter participation and damage confidence in electoral institutions.

On the responsibility of online publishers, GOCOP declared that its members must prioritise accuracy over speed and reject clickbait and partisan influence in election coverage.

The communiqué stated: “Members shall publish only verified election information. Unverified polling-unit results, altered result sheets and inflammatory speculations have no place on GOCOP platforms.”

It added that breaches would attract sanctions under the Guild’s code, while members were expected to provide context and official verification when reporting operational delays rather than presenting them automatically as evidence of systemic failure.

GOCOP also welcomed a three-point pact proposed by INEC covering fact-verification, editorial self-regulation and voter education. It said the Guild’s Executive Council would engage the commission on implementation without compromising editorial independence.

The conference further called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists, GOCOP and other media bodies to seek judicial interpretation of Section 60 of the Electoral Act 2026 in relation to Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, particularly regarding media reporting of exit polls, projections and independent result tallies.

It noted that the relationship between the provisions remained unsettled by the courts, making clarification important for election reporting.

The Guild also called for stronger prosecution of electoral offenders, arguing that the limited accountability for election-related violations could encourage impunity.

In addition, it urged INEC to translate electoral laws, regulations and voter guidelines into major Nigerian languages and sustain accessible voter education for persons with disabilities, women, young people and underserved communities.

With nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards beginning on October 9, 2026, GOCOP urged its members to provide accurate information about collection venues, opening hours and requirements.

The communiqué concluded that credible elections would require shared responsibility among INEC, security agencies, political parties, the media and citizens. GOCOP pledged that its 127 member publications would commit to verified, fair and responsible coverage before, during and after the 2027 polls.