Fake News Most Foul

We were unsurprised at the volume of fake news which was released on the political space after the rather smooth polls of Monday.

We predicted it but underestimated its scale until the country encountered it after the NDC jumped into the fray, manipulating it to suit their circumstances.

The fallout from the fake news phenomenon has never been so orchestrated and far-reaching. Perhaps this is so because the opposition party played a major role in the shenanigans which have plagued the elections.

When fake news is carried to the level we have witnessed in this election season, its effect on the psychology of the people is telling.

We discovered rather astonishingly how the NDC in its rush to spew one of the many untruths from their quaver, put out a 52 per cent for President Akufo-Addo and 53 per cent for former President John Mahama. Even those who are scared of mathematics will find the two figures not conforming to the norms of the subject.

Engaging some mischievous persons to support it in the diabolical project, they managed to convince some of their supporters to believe that the opposition party has won the polls.

As usual the media would be saddled with countless press conferences, from the party yesterday having already witnessed two or so already.

We did not expect the opposition to descend to this level as they seek to rubbish what is without doubt the verdict of Ghanaians.

We have also seen a number of social media portals mimicking such groups through which fake stuff relating to the polls are churned out.

Ghanaian voters have never been so deliberately confused by a political grouping with inappropriate intentions.

The idea of giving the EC and the electoral process it has conducted did not start with these elections. It is part of the Ofosu Ampofo overt and covert operations against the person of Ms. Jean Mensa.

Not even the smooth management of the December 7 elections has won the EC plaudits from the NDC.

Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the opposition NDC was in full flight yesterday with assortment of allegations against the post-election segment of the democratic process of December 7.

The General Secretary would do well to go to court when he and his party are aggrieved about the polls. It is good that a special court to deal with such disagreements has been created, its time frame particularly encouraging.

Employing fake news to create fear and panic won’t be in our interest as a nation.

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