Last updated: 14 October 2026. This guide is non-partisan and applies to commentary from every side. We replaced a one-sided earlier version with a general toolkit for readers.
Political commentary fills television panels, newspaper columns, social media threads and WhatsApp voice notes. Good commentary helps you understand events. Bad commentary tells you what to think without evidence. As the 2027 election campaign heats up, the volume will rise, so it helps to read critically.
Know what you are reading
- News reports what happened, who said it and what evidence exists.
- Analysis explains causes and consequences, using evidence and acknowledging uncertainty.
- Opinion and commentary argues a position. A strong opinion is not a fact.
- Sponsored or partisan content is paid for or produced by a campaign, even if it looks like news.
- Satire exaggerates for humour and is not meant to be taken literally.
Common tricks to watch for
- Cherry-picked numbers: one statistic without comparison, or a statistic out of date. Check the source and period.
- Loaded words: labels that provoke anger or fear instead of describing facts.
- False choices: “Either you support X or you hate Nigeria.”
- Attacking the person: insulting the speaker instead of answering the argument.
- Missing context: leaving out what came before or after.
- Appeals to tribe, religion or fear: messages designed to trigger identity and anger.
- Whataboutism: changing the subject to another party’s faults.
Coordinated manipulation
Researchers quoted in 2026 reporting have said that troll farms are activated before, during and after Nigerian elections to shape public conversation, and that automated accounts help spread deepfakes. Fact-checkers have also warned about AI-generated images, cloned voices and forged official statements. A burst of identical posts from new accounts, a sudden hashtag with no clear source, or content that appears in many places at once may be coordinated. See our guides on fake news and deepfakes and verifying news.
Questions to ask
- Who is speaking, and what is their interest or affiliation?
- What evidence is offered, and can I check it?
- Are other credible views or facts left out?
- Would I accept this argument if the same facts were used for a different party?
- Is the writer trying to inform me or to make me angry?
- What is being asked of me: to share, to donate, to vote or to hate?
How to be a better commentator yourself
- Check facts before posting, and link to sources.
- Separate fact from opinion, and say which you are giving.
- Criticise policies and actions, not people’s tribe, religion or family.
- Avoid threats and harassment, which can break the law. See our guides on cyberbullying and cybercrime laws.
- Correct mistakes openly.
Finding balance
Read commentators you disagree with, as well as those you like, and notice when a source is always right in your eyes. See our guides on how to follow the news, Nigerian democracy and politics and development. For election facts, use our 2027 election hub.
A Worked Example (Hypothetical)
Suppose a commentator says, “Prices have doubled under this government and nobody is doing anything.” Here is how to test it.
- Split the claim: “prices have doubled” and “nobody is doing anything” are separate claims.
- Check the facts: which prices, over what period, according to which source? Inflation data from the statistics bureau show how fast prices rose, not whether they doubled.
- Look for missing context: what caused the change, and which policies were tried?
- Separate opinion from fact: “nobody is doing anything” is a judgement, so look for specific actions and results.
- Ask who benefits from your believing it, and compare with a source that disagrees.
A Checklist for Commentators
- ☐ I can point to my sources for every fact.
- ☐ I have said what is my opinion.
- ☐ I have represented the other side fairly.
- ☐ I have not attacked someone’s tribe, religion or family.
- ☐ I will correct my errors openly.
Glossary
- Spin: presenting facts in the most favourable light.
- Astroturfing: fake grassroots support created by paid or automated accounts.
- Whataboutism: answering a criticism by pointing to someone else’s faults.
- Straw man: attacking a weaker version of an opponent’s argument.
- Echo chamber: a group that only hears views like its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between news and commentary?
News reports facts, while commentary offers interpretation or opinion, which can be useful but should be labelled as such.
How can I tell propaganda?
It leaves out inconvenient facts, appeals to emotion and identity, and asks you to act or share rather than to think.
Can I trust political polls?
Check who ran the poll, the sample, the method and the date. See our guide on online surveys.
