CDD Trains Stakeholders To Combat Fake News Ahead Of Anambra Governorship Election

By Chinaza Osigwe

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has trained stakeholders in Anambra State to counter misinformation ahead of the November 8 governorship election.

The training, which took place on August 14, 2025, in Awka, formed part of the organisation’s initiative tagged “Soldiers of Mouth” (SoMs), aimed at tackling information disorder and promoting credible polls.According to CDD Election Consultant, Mr. Chibuike Mgbeahuruike, the programme seeks to curb misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech that threaten the integrity of elections in Nigeria.“This training is for individuals we call ‘soldiers of the mouth.’ Our goal is to identify, fact-check, and address false claims promptly to protect the democratic process,” he said.

Facilitating the session, CDD Programmes Officer, Ms. Chioma Iruke, explained the dangers of information disorder and introduced participants to digital and artificial intelligence tools for verifying images, audio, and text before dissemination.

One of our Reporters present at the training, Chinaza Osigwe reports that Stakeholders drawn from media organisations, civil society groups, security agencies, the National Orientation Agency, and community leaders attended the training.

The Chairman of the Anambra State Civil Society Network (ASCSNet), Prince Chris Azor, lauded the initiative as timely, noting that voter apathy remains a major challenge in the state despite its large number of registered voters.CDD also unveiled its fact-check chatbot during the training to assist stakeholders in real-time verification of claims in the build-up to the election.

The organisation stated that the initiative is designed not only for the upcoming governorship poll but also to encourage participatory democracy and strengthen information integrity across Nigeria.