Anambra 2025: Guide for Voters to Combat Misinformation at Polling Stations

Anambra Voters Armed with New Tool to Combat Election Misinformation

As Anambra State prepares for its gubernatorial election on November 8, 2025, voters will face a familiar challenge that extends beyond simply choosing their preferred candidate: navigating a landscape potentially filled with misinformation.

Recent elections across Nigeria and West Africa have revealed disturbing patterns of information manipulation designed to confuse and mislead voters. DUBAWA, a fact-checking organization that has monitored numerous elections, has documented several common disinformation strategies that typically emerge as Election Day approaches.

Among the most prevalent tactics are false reports about candidates withdrawing from races just hours before polls open, fabricated stories of violence intended to create perceptions of instability in targeted areas, and misleading information attacking candidates’ credibility or questioning the electoral body’s integrity.

While fact-checkers work diligently to debunk such falsehoods, research suggests misinformation often spreads faster than corrections. A BBC report confirmed what many media analysts have long observed – false information typically travels more rapidly and reaches wider audiences than subsequent fact-checks.

To address this challenge in Anambra, DUBAWA has introduced an innovative tool designed to help voters verify information quickly during the critical pre-election, Election Day, and post-election periods.

The DUBAWA Chatbot, accessible via WhatsApp, offers voters a user-friendly solution for rapid fact verification. The service can be particularly valuable for voters seeking to confirm information while at their polling stations or when encountering questionable claims on social media.

“The spread of election misinformation can significantly impact voter behavior and undermine democratic processes,” said a DUBAWA representative. “Our chatbot provides a direct line to verified information when voters need it most.”

The chatbot features five core functions designed to combat misinformation. Users can verify specific claims by submitting questions like “Who are the candidates in the Anambra election?” and receive links to verified information. The system responds with authenticated sources rather than unverified claims circulating online.

For those seeking broader fact-checking coverage, the “Get the latest fact-checks” feature provides access to DUBAWA’s most recent verification reports about the election. Users can browse these reports to stay informed about corrected misinformation.

Perhaps most importantly, the chatbot enables voters to report suspicious claims they encounter. Whether through sharing links to questionable online posts or describing misleading information they’ve seen, users can flag potential misinformation for investigation by DUBAWA’s fact-checking team.

The tool also features an AI Literacy Game that helps users develop skills to identify content generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence – an increasingly common source of sophisticated misinformation during elections.

Election misinformation typically targets specific vulnerabilities in the information ecosystem. False claims about candidate withdrawals aim to confuse voters and potentially reduce turnout for certain candidates. Meanwhile, fabricated reports of violence can discourage voters from visiting polling stations in targeted areas, effectively suppressing votes.

The timing of such misinformation is often strategic, with the most damaging false claims circulating just before or during voting when there is limited opportunity for formal corrections to reach voters.

The DUBAWA Chatbot aims to disrupt this pattern by giving voters immediate access to verification resources directly on their mobile phones. New users can access the service via a dedicated link, which initiates a conversation presenting them with service options.

As Anambra’s election approaches, this tool represents a significant step in empowering voters to make informed decisions based on accurate information rather than deliberate deception. By bridging the gap between voters and fact-checkers, the chatbot could help preserve election integrity during a period when misinformation actors typically work aggressively to manipulate the information ecosystem.