The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a capacity-building workshop for its Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) as part of efforts 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 designed to equip the officers with practical communication skills to engage the media effectively, respond to emerging information challenges and support the Commission’s public communication efforts at the state level.
Declaring the workshop open, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, described PAOs as frontline communicators who play a critical role in connecting INEC with the public.
Haruna said PAOs are responsible for preparing official statements, responding to enquiries and supporting Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Heads of Department, Voter Education and Publicity.
He stressed that the credibility of INEC’s communication depends largely on the quality and accuracy of information provided by its public affairs personnel.
According to him, the communication environment has become increasingly complex due to the rapid growth of social media and the emergence of generative artificial intelligence.
Haruna also referenced recent remarks by 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 link between electoral technology and electoral communication in building election credibility.
He said the workshop was therefore necessary to prepare INEC’s communication officers to identify, verify and appropriately respond to misinformation and disinformation as the country prepares for the 2027 elections.
