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Claim: Social media accounts in October have been circulating a chaotic video clip, falsely suggesting that the male figure in the footage is the current Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Verdict: The claim is false. While the man in the video shares a striking resemblance with the Ondo State Governor, he is not the individual depicted in the footage.
Full Text
In today’s quick-moving world of politics, percolating false narratives have become a tool for those aiming to sabotage democracy or smear the reputation of candidates. Whether pursued by political rivals, foreign influences, or even anonymous online actors, disinformation is mostly used to twist public perception and create doubt, especially during heated campaigns.
These misleading stories often take advantage of people’s fears or pre-existing biases and build rumours and fake stories into something that feels real enough to disrupt someone’s chances in an election.
The incumbent Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is one of the leading candidates in the upcoming governorship election, scheduled for November 16, 2024.
The 2024 Ondo State gubernatorial election will take place on November 16. Governor Aiyedatiwa of the APC is seeking a full term. He faces competition from former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi of the PDP and 15 other candidates from various parties.
As is common during election seasons, social media has been flooded with news about the candidates. A viral video recently surfaced, showing a man involved in a physical altercation with a woman in London.
The accompanying text claims that the man is Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Governor of Ondo State.
The post reads: “See Ondo state governor for London oOoOO. Egbami oo. These are the irresponsible people who suffocate our political space and aspire to positions of leadership in our dear country. How can a sitting Governor degenerate to this gutter level? Tufiakwa.!”
In the five-minute, 17-second video, a man wearing a black cap, glasses, and a hoodie is seen in a confrontation with a woman. During the altercation, the woman accuses the man of slapping her twice.
Onlookers attempt to intervene as the woman pulls and drags at the man’s clothing.
ChinasaNworu (@ChinasaNworu) also shared the video on X, reinforcing the narrative that the man in the video was Governor Aiyedatiwa.
The post, as of Oct. 14, 2024, gained over 340,000 views and over 1,000 reposts.
Reacting to the video, an X user, Teefresh @t4tao_, wrote,
“Some of you will easily do jail o. If they take you to court with this lie, shey you know say ewon na prison? Well, DEJI Adeyanju dey for you sha!”
Another X user, Justicenfairness (@JustICE_Fairn), said,
“It is the more reason they will vote for him. As long as he has cash to spend with the collaboration of INEC/POLICE/JUDICIARY, he is automatically the next governor. Ondo state is not that enlightened. He will pay influencers and journalists to clean up.”
The claim spread across multiple platforms, with similar content appearing in various posts here, here, here , here, here, and here.
Following the video’s spread across platforms and the reactions that trailed it, DUBAWA decided to verify the assertion.
Verification
DUBAWA reviewed the video and observed that the man in the video does not match the appearance or voice of Governor Aiyedatiwa. At two minutes 19 seconds, the man’s cap falls off, revealing the face of the man. We observed that the man has a noticeable gap between his teeth, a feature that Governor Aiyedatiwa does not have.
The man in the video also possesses a less flat and smoother nose bridge than Mr Aiyedatiwa, who has a broad and less smooth nose bridge.
The alleged governor in the clip also has a thin sideburn, conspicuous stubble, and lower gap teeth, contrary to the current Ondo State governor, who has a slightly broad sideburn and no stubble.
Aides to Governor Aiyedatiwa, including his Special Adviser on Strategic Communication, Allen Sowore, confirmed on his Facebook page that the man in the video is not the governor.
Mr Sowore urged the public to examine the video and note the clear differences closely. He criticised those spreading the video, accusing political opponents of attempting to tarnish the governor’s image through misinformation.
“The public is encouraged to carefully examine the video and notice these clear distinctions before arriving at the erroneous conclusion that the man in the video is Governor Aiyedatiwa,” he wrote.
Additionally, the governor’s Special Assistant on New Media, Sunday Abire, stated on his Facebook page that Governor Aiyedatiwa had not left Nigeria since assuming office in December 2023. Abire further pointed out that the man in the video does not have the same facial features, beard patterns, or mannerisms as the governor.
He wrote, “For the records, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has not left the shore of Nigeria since he became the 7th Civilian Governor of Ondo State on the 27th of December, 2023. He wasn’t born a twin, either. Aiyedatiwa came alone from heaven to be a blessing to the people of Obe-Nla in Ilaje Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria and the world.
“A cursory look at the video shows that the man doesn’t keep the same pattern of beards as the Governor, nor does he talk like Aiyedatiwa.”
Aside from this official disclaimer, no reputable media outlet has reported any credible link between the governor and the man in the video.
Conclusion
DUBAWA’s investigation confirmed that while the man in the video bears some resemblance to the governor, there are significant differences in appearance. Ondo State’s government has also debunked the claim as politically motivated misinformation ahead of the election.
