On March 17, 2023, barely 24 hours before the gubernatorial election, a video of a woman printing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tag at a private business center in Baruwa, Lagos, went viral online.
In the video, she claimed that they want to use the tags in the East and is a job for a YPP Senator.
Claim: Does this video show a woman printing election tags for certain individuals to be used on election day?
Verification
The CDD Election War Room found that the video is authentic and recent. We found that the woman was indeed printing INEC tags. However, when asked if she knew that INEC alone does the printing of tags, she claimed she does not know about it. In the video, she is seen saying, “I don’t know.”
Furthermore, we found that printing election tags, given to INEC ad-hoc staff to be used on election day at private centres would lead to the proliferation of the tags and undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
It is an unusual practice, and is tantamount to impersonating INEC staff, though there is no law on the electoral act that gives INEC exclusive right to print tags.
It is advisable that individuals do not engage in such acts. They should report suspected cases of impersonation of INEC ad-hoc staff to the electoral umpire.
Verdict
This claim is True. The CDD Election War Room found the video to be real and can confirm that the woman was actually printing election tags.