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As misinformation spreads rapidly online, political leaders and government representatives continue to be dragged into the growing web of disinformation.
In 2025, DUBAWA investigated several politically related misinformations involving prominent political leaders and government officials.
Below are six of the top political claims DUBAWA investigated in 2025
- Umar Damagum resigns as PDP acting Chairperson
A Facebook user shared an image of Umar Damagum, claiming he had resigned as the acting chairperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
DUBAWA verified the information and found reports from a reputable media organisation debunking Damagum’s resignation as the acting PDP chairperson.
The claim was, therefore, misleading and without merit. Read in detail here.
- ICC issues arrest warrant for Senator Godswill Akpabio
In March, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was issued a six-month suspension following her submission of a formal petition accusing Senator Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Amidst this tension, a Facebook user shared that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued an arrest warrant for Senator Akpabio.
Verifying the claim, DUBAWA reviewed the official ICC website but found no related information prompting the arrest of Senator Akpabio. Moreover, no reputable media outlets reported that the ICC had ordered the immediate arrest of the Senator.
Read more here.
- Wike’s security invades Fubara’s private residence
In March 2025, River State experienced political instability, leading to the suspension of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, amid a long-standing feud with the former governor of the State, Nyesom Wike.
During the governor’s suspension, a Facebook video, which gained over 130,00 views, claimed that Wike and his security agencies had invaded Fubura’s private residence.
However, DUBAWA’s investigation revealed that the video was filmed during an altercation between two political factions at the PDP’s national headquarters in Abuja, and not at Fubara’s private residence, as claimed. Read in detail here.
- Was Fubara arrested for disobeying Tinubu’s orders?
Following the unrest in Rivers State linked to a power struggle between Governor Fubara and former governor Nyesom Wike, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state.
Following this declaration, an X user shared a video claiming that the Federal Government had arrested Governor Fubara for disobeying President Tinubu’s order.
Analysis of the video revealed that it was taken during the governor’s address, when a fire gutted the Rivers State House of Assembly, which is unrelated to his claimed arrest.
Read more here.
6. Kwankwaso defected to APC
A Facebook user shared a video of Rabiu Kwankwaso wearing a cap with President Tinubu’s insignia and claimed he had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Unable to find a media publication reporting his defection to the APC, Dubawa subjected the video to an Invid Forensic analysis, which revealed the cap to have been digitally inserted to support his defection claim. Read in detail here.
