A comprehensive BBC investigation into social media influencers have indicted hem for spreading fake news ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The investigation discovered that political parties and politicians are paying influencers to spread disinformation ahead of the election in February.
Whistle blowers whose identities have been hidden have given an insight into how political influencing works on social media.
Godiya (not her real name), one of the whistle-blower claims that a party has paid as much as N20 million to an influencer
“We’ve paid an influencer up to 20m naira ($45,000; £37,000) for delivering a result. We’ve also given people gifts.
Others would however prefer the payment in the form of a political appointment she claimedt: ‘What do you want to do in government, be a board member, be a special assistant?’,” says Godiya.
The whistle-blowers say parties give out cash, lavish gifts, government contracts and even political appointments for their work.
While there is no crime in campaigning for one’s preferred candidates, it is wrong to create false narratives about a personality. Yemi (not real name) says fake stories are developed to tarnish the image of an opponent. These false narratives are now shared with the influencers who go ahead to spread them.
“You can deliberately misinform in a suitable way for you.”
Two of such misinformation were those accusing Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate Kashim Shettima of being a sponsor of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
The other was started by social media activist, Reno Omokri even though he failed to provide evidence. Omokri accused Peter Obi, the Presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party of being linked to IPOB. Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB is a Separatist movement.
The BBC has spoken to multiple influencers who have confirmed that payment in exchange for false political posts is widespread.
One influencer who asked not to be named – with almost 150,000 Facebook followers – told us he is paid by political parties to post completely false stories about political opponents. He says he does not do it openly but rather plants false stories through other micro-influencers he hires.
Separately, Rabi’u Biyora is a major influencer known for supporting the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
He told te BBC he was “wooed” by an opposition party to stop promoting the APC’s candidate, and give his support to their candidate instead.
Posts on his Facebook timeline confirm he did just that. He claimed that he did not receive gifts of any kind to do so. But a check through his Facebook page exposed that in 2019 he received a car and money from a party in exchange for his support on social media.
How To Recognize Fake Narratives
- Use of irrelevant pictures or videos (like using pictures from warzones)
- Information that playing to the emotions as politicians instruct influence
- A play divisive issues such as ethnic, religious, and regional differences
It is not illegal for political parties to hire social media influencers in Nigeria, but spreading disinformation on social media is a breach of the country’s laws and Twitter’s policy. Full report can be read here.
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