FactCheck Africa launches situation room to combat misinformation ahead of Osun poll

FactCheck Africa has launched the TruthGuard Election Integrity and Misinformation Situation Room to monitor and counter misinformation, disinformation and other forms of information disorder ahead of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election.

 

Speaking at the inauguration on Friday, the Founder of FactCheck Africa, Olasupo Abideen, said the initiative was prompted by rising political tension and security concerns in the state.

 

He said safeguarding elections now goes beyond securing polling units to protecting the information ecosystem from coordinated falsehoods.

 

“This initiative is designed to protect the integrity of the electoral information space through real-time monitoring, independent fact-checking and rapid response to false claims, hate speech, malinformation and technology-facilitated gender-based violence before, during and after the election,” Abideen said.

 

“The integrity of an election is inseparable from the integrity of the information that shapes public opinion. Elections are now contested not only at polling units but also across digital platforms where false narratives, manipulated content and AI-generated media can spread rapidly and erode public trust.”

 

According to him, the National Peace Committee, through The Kukah Centre’s Election Security Information Hub, has identified 15 local government areas in Osun as critical, high- and moderate-risk locations for election-related violence due to political tensions, institutional disputes, electoral offences and information disorder.

 

He noted that attacks on political gatherings, shootings in parts of the state and assaults on election officials during the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards had heightened concerns over the security environment.

 

Abideen also warned that advances in generative artificial intelligence had made it easier to create and spread deepfakes, cloned audio, manipulated images and recycled videos capable of misleading voters and undermining confidence in the electoral process.

 

He said the TruthGuard Situation Room would serve as a real-time monitoring and rapid-response hub, bringing together fact-checkers, digital investigators, journalists, researchers, data analysts and gender experts to identify emerging narratives, verify claims and provide accurate election information.

 

“We are equally committed to protecting women, journalists, election officials and other democratic actors from technology-facilitated abuse and coordinated online attacks. An informed electorate remains the strongest defence against misinformation, violence and electoral manipulation,” he added.

 

Abideen urged journalists, election observers, political parties, civil society organisations and members of the public to report suspicious election-related claims, manipulated content and AI-generated media through the TruthGuard reporting channels for independent verification.

 

He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting peaceful, credible and transparent elections through independent fact-checking and evidence-based reporting.