{"id":23583,"date":"2025-07-14T12:04:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T11:04:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=23583"},"modified":"2025-07-14T12:04:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T11:04:19","slug":"false-tinubu-not-third-most-corrupt-person-in-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/false-tinubu-not-third-most-corrupt-person-in-world\/","title":{"rendered":"False! Tinubu not third most corrupt person in world"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Claim: President Bola Tinubu ranked as the third most corrupt person in the world, according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Verdict: Misleading! Based on information on the OCCRP website and an interview with the organisation\u2019s Africa editor, there is no evidence to back up the claim that President Tinubu is the third most corrupt person in the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Text<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On June 30, 2025, a viral post<\/a> by an X user, Peter Obi Grassroots Mobilization (@PO_GrassrotM), claimed that Nigerian president Bola Tinubu was ranked the third most corrupt person in the world by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The post’s caption reads, \u201cBREAKING: Bola Tinubu ranked as the third most corrupt leader in the world\u201d. Attached to this post was an image featuring texts suggesting the OCCRP had officially ranked Tinubu after scoring the third-highest votes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of July 11, 2025, the post generated over 3,500 reposts, 7,600 likes, 800 comments, and over 471,000 impressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The claim also gained traction on Facebook<\/a>, where it was published on several pages and groups, including the Africa New Line 700<\/a>. As of July 14, 2025, the post had generated 125 shares, 256 reactions, and 99 comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the political sensitivity and significance of the claim, DUBAWA set out to verify its accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What OCCRP published<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP<\/a>) is a global investigative journalism platform that publishes its annual \u201cPerson of the Year in Organized Crime and Corruption.\u201d This report highlights individuals who, in the opinion of the organisation\u2019s journalists and judges, have done the most to enable or profit from organised crime and corruption worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the 2024 edition<\/a>, OCCRP named Bashar al-Assad, the ousted Syrian president, its \u201cPerson of the Year.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement<\/a> published on OCCRP\u2019s website, the organisation \u201cmade a general call for nominations and received over 55,000 submissions, including some of the most well-known political figures and lesser-known individuals. OCCRP had no control over who was nominated, as suggestions came from people worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OCCRP, Assad was selected among the nominated candidates by a panel of expert judges drawn from journalism, academia, and civil society. The 2024 judges included Ghanaian undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, UK anti-corruption expert Susan Hawley, Middle East reporter and Daraj.com CEO, Alia Ibrahim, OCCRP co-founder Paul Radu, U.S. professor and transnational crime researcher Louise Shelley, and OCCRP publisher, Drew Sullivan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The five individuals who received the most public nominations were President of Kenya William Ruto, former President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, and an Indian businessman, Gautam Adani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, OCCRP emphasised that being a finalist does not imply ranking or guilt, and the order in which names appear does not reflect a corruption index or hierarchy. The final award was based on the judges\u2019 assessment of scale and impact, supported by evidence of wrongdoing, not nomination numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a publication<\/a> on its website, OCCRP publisher Drew Sullivan explained: \u201cThe judges appreciate the citizens\u2019 nominations, but in some cases, there wasn\u2019t enough direct evidence of significant corruption or a longstanding pattern of abuses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about Tinubu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is no secret that President Tinubu\u2019s name has surfaced in multiple corruption-related allegations over the years. Among the most widely discussed is the 1993 U.S. federal court case<\/a> in which Tinubu forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government following allegations that he was associated with a drug ring in Chicago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond corruption controversies, Tinubu has also been linked to a series of human rights violations, before and during his term as president. One emanated during the #EndSARS protest in October 2020, a youth-led nationwide uprising against police brutality and extortion, where soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International<\/a>, confirmed the use of lethal force and identified at least 12 casualties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, Tinubu was not the Nigerian president. Still, as a former governor and ruling party chief, he was widely regarded as the most influential political figure in Lagos, the epicentre of the protests. Allegations about his involvement stem from the fact that the Lekki Toll Gate was operated<\/a> by a private company, Lekki Concession Company (LCC), which many believe had ties to Tinubu\u2019s political and business allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, no direct evidence has linked Tinubu to the military order or the actions at the toll gate, and he has consistently denied<\/a> involvement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu\u2019s administration has faced growing accusations of repressive governance, especially around protests and online speech crackdowns. Under his watch, multiple protest attempts against bad governance and insecurity have been disrupted by security forces, sometimes violently. In many of these cases, media and civil society groups reported<\/a> how protesters were beaten, tear-gassed, or detained without charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between 2024 and 2025, there were several reports<\/a> about journalists and citizens being arrested for posts and charged under the provisions of the Cybercrimes Act, a law human rights groups have repeatedly called to be reviewed due to its potential for abuse. While there is no evidence that Tinubu directly ordered these arrests, his administration has not condemned the practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, even with this background of unresolved corruption allegations and public perception of power abuse, none of it amounts to an official global ranking of President Tinubu\u2019s misconduct. The OCCRP\u2019s mention of Tinubu as one of five finalists was based purely on the number of nominations he received without a formal investigation or verdict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To confirm this conclusion, DUBAWA contacted Chikezie Omeje, Africa Editor at OCCRP, asking if OCCRP ranked Tinubu as the third most corrupt person in the world. Chikezie clarified that although President Tinubu received the third-highest nominations, he was not named the third most corrupt person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOCCRP did not name Tinubu the third most corrupt person in the world. OCCRP had no control over who was nominated, as suggestions came from people worldwide,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This statement confirms that while Tinubu\u2019s name appeared third on the list of finalists, he was not officially ranked by OCCRP. And the fact that Bashar Assad, who did not appear among the most-nominated, was ultimately selected as \u201cPerson of the Year\u201d demonstrates that the vote count was not a determining factor in the final decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Had the selection been based on nominations alone, President William Ruto, with the highest number of nominations, would have been named the \u201cPerson of the Year.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, based on statements and information on the OCCRP\u2019s website and an interview with the organisation\u2019s Africa editor, there is no evidence to support the claim that President Tinubu is the third most corrupt person in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, President Tinubu receiving the third-highest nominations in OCCRP\u2019s 2024 global call raises essential questions. It may not mean he is officially \u201cthe third most corrupt leader in the world.\u201d Still, it does suggest a growing global perception and suspicion, especially among citizens, that its leadership is closely associated with corruption and abuse of power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To investigate the root of the misrepresentation, DUBAWA traced the narrative that Tinubu was \u201cranked third\u201d in the corruption index to articles published by Pulse Nigeria<\/a> and Sahara Reporters<\/a> in December 2024. As of July 8, 2025, the two posts had garnered two million and 754,000 impressions respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the false claim was recently resurrected and amplified by a popular opposition-aligned X (formerly Twitter) account, Peter Obi Grassroots Mobilization (@PO_GrassrotM), known for its strong support for the Labour Party presidential candidate in the last general election. This raises suspicions of misuse of OCCRP\u2019s report, particularly since the X page supports Peter Obi, a potential contender against President Tinubu in the next election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OCCRP has acknowledged the risk of its reporting being misused for political purposes. In its 2024 report, the organisation warned that its \u201caward is sometimes misused by individuals seeking to further their political agendas or ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A statement published<\/a> on OCCRP\u2019s website reads, \u201cThe purpose of this award is singular: to bring recognition to crime and corruption \u2014 full stop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The claim that President Bola Tinubu was ranked as the third most corrupt person in the world is misleading. The claim is either a result of a misunderstanding or a calculated misrepresentation of OCCRP\u2019s 2024 \u201cPerson of the Year\u201d announcement. Either way, it is a distortion of nomination-based finalists and judges-selected candidates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Claim: President Bola Tinubu ranked as the third most corrupt person in the world, according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Verdict: Misleading! Based on information on the OCCRP website and an interview with the organisation\u2019s Africa editor, there is no evidence to back up the claim that President Tinubu is the third most corrupt person in the world. Full Text On June 30, 2025, a viral post by an X user, Peter Obi Grassroots Mobilization (@PO_GrassrotM), claimed that Nigerian president Bola Tinubu was ranked the third most corrupt person in the world by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The post’s caption reads, \u201cBREAKING: Bola Tinubu ranked as the third most corrupt leader in the world\u201d. Attached to this post was an image featuring texts suggesting the OCCRP had officially ranked Tinubu after scoring the third-highest votes.  As of July 11, 2025, the post generated over 3,500 reposts, 7,600 likes, 800 comments, and over 471,000 impressions. The claim also gained traction on Facebook, where it was published on several pages and groups, including the Africa New Line 700. As of July 14, 2025, the post had generated 125 shares, 256 reactions, and 99 comments. Given the political sensitivity and significance of the claim, DUBAWA set out to verify its accuracy. What OCCRP published The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is a global investigative journalism platform that publishes its annual \u201cPerson of the Year in Organized Crime and Corruption.\u201d This report highlights individuals who, in the opinion of the organisation\u2019s journalists and judges, have done the most to enable or profit from organised crime and corruption worldwide. For the 2024 edition, OCCRP named Bashar al-Assad, the ousted Syrian president, its \u201cPerson of the Year.\u201d  In a statement published on OCCRP\u2019s website, the organisation \u201cmade a general call for nominations and received over 55,000 submissions, including some of the most well-known political figures and lesser-known individuals. OCCRP had no control over who was nominated, as suggestions came from people worldwide.\u201d According to OCCRP, Assad was selected among the nominated candidates by a panel of expert judges drawn from journalism, academia, and civil society. The 2024 judges included Ghanaian undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, UK anti-corruption expert Susan Hawley, Middle East reporter and Daraj.com CEO, Alia Ibrahim, OCCRP co-founder Paul Radu, U.S. professor and transnational crime researcher Louise Shelley, and OCCRP publisher, Drew Sullivan. The five individuals who received the most public nominations were President of Kenya William Ruto, former President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, and an Indian businessman, Gautam Adani. Also, OCCRP emphasised that being a finalist does not imply ranking or guilt, and the order in which names appear does not reflect a corruption index or hierarchy. The final award was based on the judges\u2019 assessment of scale and impact, supported by evidence of wrongdoing, not nomination numbers. In a publication on its website, OCCRP publisher Drew Sullivan explained: \u201cThe judges appreciate the citizens\u2019 nominations, but in some cases, there wasn\u2019t enough direct evidence of significant corruption or a longstanding pattern of abuses.\u201d What about Tinubu? It is no secret that President Tinubu\u2019s name has surfaced in multiple corruption-related allegations over the years. Among the most widely discussed is the 1993 U.S. federal court case in which Tinubu forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government following allegations that he was associated with a drug ring in Chicago.  Beyond corruption controversies, Tinubu has also been linked to a series of human rights violations, before and during his term as president. One emanated during the #EndSARS protest in October 2020, a youth-led nationwide uprising against police brutality and extortion, where soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, confirmed the use of lethal force and identified at least 12 casualties. At the time, Tinubu was not the Nigerian president. Still, as a former governor and ruling party chief, he was widely regarded as the most influential political figure in Lagos, the epicentre of the protests. Allegations about his involvement stem from the fact that the Lekki Toll Gate was operated by a private company, Lekki Concession Company (LCC), which many believe had ties to Tinubu\u2019s political and business allies. However, no direct evidence has linked Tinubu to the military order or the actions at the toll gate, and he has consistently denied involvement.  Since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu\u2019s administration has faced growing accusations of repressive governance, especially around protests and online speech crackdowns. Under his watch, multiple protest attempts against bad governance and insecurity have been disrupted by security forces, sometimes violently. In many of these cases, media and civil society groups reported how protesters were beaten, tear-gassed, or detained without charge. Between 2024 and 2025, there were several reports about journalists and citizens being arrested for posts and charged under the provisions of the Cybercrimes Act, a law human rights groups have repeatedly called to be reviewed due to its potential for abuse. While there is no evidence that Tinubu directly ordered these arrests, his administration has not condemned the practices. Still, even with this background of unresolved corruption allegations and public perception of power abuse, none of it amounts to an official global ranking of President Tinubu\u2019s misconduct. The OCCRP\u2019s mention of Tinubu as one of five finalists was based purely on the number of nominations he received without a formal investigation or verdict. To confirm this conclusion, DUBAWA contacted Chikezie Omeje, Africa Editor at OCCRP, asking if OCCRP ranked Tinubu as the third most corrupt person in the world. Chikezie clarified that although President Tinubu received the third-highest nominations, he was not named the third most corrupt person.  \u201cOCCRP did not name Tinubu the third most corrupt person in the world. OCCRP had no control over who was nominated, as suggestions came from people worldwide,\u201d he explained.  This statement confirms that while Tinubu\u2019s name appeared third<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1571,3812,3815,16],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[4475],"class_list":["post-23583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fact-check","category-headline","category-homepage","category-politics"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-68n","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":4475,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"abdullah-tijani","display_name":"Abdullah Tijani","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Tinubu-public-health.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23583"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23583\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23584,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23583\/revisions\/23584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23583"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=23583"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=23583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}