Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State Government, has said viral video clips of under-age voters in the just concluded local government election was actually shot during the March 30, 2015 election organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mallam Muhammad Garba, made the clarification when he addressed members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) at a two-day national conference in the state
“The recent council poll in Kano was adjudged one of the freest in the history of council polls in Nigeria, by local and international observers.
“I make bold to say that the controversial video belongs to INEC.
“The video that went viral on social media contained scenes where INEC card readers were deployed and nothing of such was used in the last council poll in Kano.
“We did not use card readers and there was no event of under-age voting during the February 10 council poll in Kano state.”
The immediate-past NUJ president, however, expressed happiness that INEC has decided to investigate the matter, and added that “the outcome of the investigation will exonerate the Kano electoral body.”
The commissioner insisted that Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) followed due process and was guided by law during the council election.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, Garba noted that the recent spread of hates speeches, specifically, in social media, remains a serious threat to democracy and national unity.
He said there is urgent need to tackle the menace headlong, and added that “every sensible person today is highly concerned over the way and manner the so-called social media has almost taken over dissemination of information.”