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DUBAWA alongside its partners under the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NCF) has commenced a live fact check of claims around the Sep. 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election.
This is to ensure the dispensation of accurate information during the election period, The live fact-check will verify false or misleading information shared on social media, such as X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
The coalition is also investigating some claims from the governorship debate held by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) in partnership with the Edo Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Sep. 13, 2024.
The debate featured candidates from the New People’s Party (NNPP), African Action Congress (AAC), All Progressive Grand Alliances (APGA), All Progressive Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), People’s Redemption Party (PRP), and Youth Progressive Party (YPP).
Below are the claims:
CLAIM 1: The African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in the 2024 Edo State governorship election, Udoh Oberaifo, claimed that the approved Edo budget for 2024 is N325 billion.
FINDINGS: According to the official document published by the Edo State Government on March 25, 2023, the total approved budget for 2024 was N342.8 billion.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: Edo State Government FY 2024 Approved Budget (www.edostate.gov.ng)
CLAIM 2: Azemhe Azena, the Edo governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) said only about 200 doctors were employed by the Edo State government to a population of 5 million.
FINDINGS: In April 2023, the Edo State Government announced plans to recruit 700 healthcare practitioners, including medical doctors, to strengthen its primary healthcare system. However, the number of doctors to be recruited was unspecified. According to 2022 data obtained from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) published by The Cable Index, there are 1,777 medical doctors in Edo State.
VERDICT: INSUFFICIENT PROOF
SOURCES: Edo State Government Website, The Cable Index
CLAIM 3: Isaiah Osifo, the Edo gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) said the unemployment rate in Edo State is a little over 20%.
FINDINGS: The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for Q4 2020 showed that the unemployment rate in Edo is 49.02% while the underemployment rate stood at 15.86%. Recent data available has no breakdown for Nigerian States.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: National Bureau of Statistics
CLAIM 4: The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, claimed that President Bola Tinubu did not sign a peace accord when he was a presidential candidate in 2023. He disclosed this while speaking at the 2024 Edo Election Security Townhall organised by Channels TV on Sep. 15.
FINDINGS: Checks by the NFC show that two peace accords were signed by presidential candidates to prevent violence during Nigeria’s 2023 general election. Tinubu was absent at the first one organised by the National Peace Committee held on Sep. 29, 2022. He was, however, represented by his vice, Kashim Shettima.
However, Tinubu was present at the signing of the second pact held on Feb. 23, 2023.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: TheCable, The Punch
CLAIM 5: Ada Obowo, an X user, shares a viral video claiming that Edo women resisted Nigerian police officers from arresting a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Ikpoba-Okha Ward 2 ahead of Saturday’s election in Edo State.
FINDINGS: Checks by the NFC using a Google Reverse Image tool reveal an earlier version of the video posted on X on Sept. 17, 2024. Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Nigerian Police spokesman, remarked under the post that the policemen in the video were on official duty. His comment was, however, not connected to the apprehension of a PDP leader as claimed.
According to Adejobi, the police officers are IRT operatives who are investigating the killing of a policeman at the Benin Airport in July 2024. “We have secured a warrant of arrest on him. The men eventually left him when the place became crowdy,” says Adejobi.
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCES: Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Nigeria Police Force spokesperson.
CLAIM 6: An X user, @idofoi posted a video purportedly showing Tinubu asking Edo voters to reject Obaseki in Saturday’s Edo gubernatorial poll.
FINDINGS: A Google Reverse Image search conducted on the keyframes obtained from the video shows that the footage has been online since September 15, 2020, during the last gubernatorial election in Edo state. An earlier version of the video originally posted by TVC shows Tinubu addressing residents of Edo State urging them not to vote for Obaseki, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate at the time.
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCES: TVC news
CLAIM 7: An X user, Akpakominza, claimed that Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo state, distributed a trailer load of rice hoarded by the incumbent Edo state’s governor, Godwin Obaseki.
FINDINGS: NFC ran a Google Reverse Image search on a keyframe from the video and verified that Mr Okpebholo is the distributor. Also, the inscription on the packaged bag from the trailer in the video reads, “Federal Government of Nigeria Food Security Programme.”
However, as available facts indicate, there is no evidence to verify the bag’s content. An advanced keyword search about the initiative found on the bag’s inscription led to the National Food Security Programme, a Federal Government initiative established in 2008 to tackle food insecurity in the country and boost the agriculture sector through special interventions. These interventions did not focus on the provision of rice alone but on overhauling the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
Also, the statement that Mr Okpebholo (APC) distributed rice hoarded by Mr Obaseki (PDP) to conclude his campaign raises an eyebrow because PDP is fielding Asue Ighodalo, who has the governor’s full support.
VERDICT: INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
SOURCE: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
CLAIM 8: X user, Uromi First Son, posted two videos showing a police armoured personnel carrier, with the inscription indicating the Imo State government donated it. The narrator claimed that the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma sent the vehicle to rig the Edo election.
FINDINGS: A reverse image of the keyframes of the video yielded no result. But using a landmark in the video, the Austrock Market and Google map, we determined that the police armoured personnel carrier was on Benin City-Ehor Road, Avbiama, Benin City, Edo State when the video was shot.
Media reports show that the Imo State government donated such vehicles to the Nigerian police in August 2022 and again in June 2024. The police deployed 35,000 personnel for the Edo election drawn from different states. It is however not out-of-place to find police officers and operational vehicles from other states in Edo during this election period.
Therefore, the claim that the Imo governor sent the police vehicle to rig the Edo election is not backed by sufficient evidence.
VERDICT: INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
SOURCES: EON INTELLIGENCE, Punch
CLAIM 9: An X user, @X_Dailly posted a video with the caption that the Federal Government has banned Edo State vigilante.
FINDINGS: On September 12, 2024, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun announced that no private or state-owned security organisation would be permitted to operate during and after the September 21 governorship election in Edo State. The IGP announced during a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin City. He added that “all local security groups in Edo State should refrain from participating in the election. The activities of the Edo State Security Network are suspended and will remain so.”
However, the Edo State government has challenged the IGP’s announcement. They argued that it is unconstitutional for the IGP to make such a declaration, insisting that the ESSN is a body set up by law passed by the Edo state House of Assembly”.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: The Cable, Daily Trust, Channels TV
CLAIM 10: An X user, @X_Dailly posted a video with the caption that the Federal Government has banned Edo State vigilante.
FINDINGS: On September 12, 2024, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun announced that no private or state-owned security organization would be permitted to operate during and after the September 21 governorship election in Edo State. The IGP announced during a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin City. He added that “all local security groups in Edo State should refrain from participating in the election. The activities of the Edo State Security Network are suspended and will remain so.”
However, the Edo State government has challenged the IGP’s announcement. They argued that it is unconstitutional for the IGP to make such a declaration, insisting that the ESSN is a body set up by law passed by the Edo state House of Assembly”.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: The Cable, Daily Trust, Channels TV
CLAIM 11: An X user, @OladepoTaiwo15, claims INEC deployed five resident electoral commissioners (RECs) from APC states – Kaduna, Nasarawa, Yobe, Ondo, and Ebonyi – to the Edo state elections. The social media user warned the PDP to “watch out”.
FINDINGS: Adenike Tadese, INEC’s deputy director of publicity, confirmed to the NFC that the commissioners were deployed from the states to Edo but clarified that the RECs are randomly selected from different states, and are not affiliated to any political party.
VERDICT: MISLEADING.
SOURCE: INEC
CLAIM 12: An X user claimed the current governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, won the 2020 elections in Akoko Edo Local Government for the PDP and thus a stronghold of the PDP.
FINDINGS: INEC’s final result for the 2020 governorship election in Edo state shows the APC won the election in Akoko Edo LGA with 22,953 votes while the PDP got 20,101 votes.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: INEC
CLAIM 13: A viral press statement is claiming the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata has withdrawn from Saturday’s governorship election and endorsed the PDP’s candidate. It is being shared on Facebook and X.
FINDINGS: Checks show the statement was forged using one of the public statements released and signed by Mr. Akpata. The statement also carries two different dates. On the upper part reads 20th September 2024, while the bottom part reads July 29, 2024.
Zekeri Idris Junior, head of the Labour Party’s campaign media team, told NFC that the viral statement was not authored by Akpata noting that the claim is false. He added that the party’s candidate is still in the race.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: Labour Party’s campaign media team
CLAIM 14: An X user, @BigBrother_M007, claims Nigeria’s Supreme Court disqualified the PDP’s governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, on the eve of the 2024 Edo governorship election.
FINDINGS: A suit challenging the candidacy of Mr. Ighodalo in the 2024 Edo election was dismissed by a Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal for lack of merit. Both dismissals were widely reported in the media.
There is no evidence of the apex court sitting on the matter or any other matter as of 20th September 2024. Mr. Ighodalo remains on INEC’s final list of candidates.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: TVC News, ThisDay, INEC
CLAIM 15: An X user, @OladepoTaiwo15, claims INEC deployed five resident electoral commissioners (RECs) from APC states – Kaduna, Nasarawa, Yobe, Ondo, and Ebonyi – to the Edo state elections. The social media user warned the PDP to “watch out”.
FINDINGS: Adenike Tadese, INEC’s deputy director of publicity, confirmed to the NFC that the commissioners were deployed from the states to Edo but clarified that the RECs are randomly selected from different states, and are not affiliated to any political party.
VERDICT: MISLEADING.
SOURCE: INEC
CLAIM 16: An X user claimed the current governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, won the 2020 elections in Akoko Edo Local Government for the PDP and thus a stronghold of the PDP.
FINDINGS: INEC’s final result for the 2020 governorship election in Edo state shows the APC won the election in Akoko Edo LGA with 22,953 votes while the PDP got 20,101 votes.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: INEC
CLAIM 17: A viral press statement is claiming the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata has withdrawn from Saturday’s governorship election and endorsed the PDP’s candidate. It is being shared on Facebook and X.
FINDINGS: Checks show the statement was forged using one of the public statements released and signed by Mr. Akpata. The statement also carries two different dates. On the upper part reads 20th September 2024, while the bottom part reads July 29, 2024.
Zekeri Idris Junior, head of the Labour Party’s campaign media team, told NFC that the viral statement was not authored by Akpata noting that the claim is false. He added that the party’s candidate is still in the race.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: Labour Party’s campaign media team
CLAIM 18: An X user, @BigBrother_M007, claims Nigeria’s Supreme Court disqualified the PDP’s governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, on the eve of the 2024 Edo governorship election.
FINDINGS: A suit challenging the candidacy of Mr. Ighodalo in the 2024 Edo election was dismissed by a Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal for lack of merit. Both dismissals were widely reported in the media.
There is no evidence of the apex court sitting on the matter or any other matter as of 20th September 2024. Mr. Ighodalo remains on INEC’s final list of candidates.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: TVC News, ThisDay, INEC
Sir, is this report from British Sun Newspaper?
*EUROPE AND AMERICA PERCEPTION ON THE RISING STATUS OF ISLAM IN THE WEST*
By the new British Prime Minister *Keir Starmer!!*
published by the The Sun. (British newspaper)
We must be honest with ourselves, and clear at the same time about our relationship with the Arab and Islamic world and tell the truth to our children so that we do not clash with them one day, or that they feel intellectual turmoil and psychological contradiction syndrome, between their belief in liberal values and the needs of our national security, whose contradictions have been increased by the cognitive revolution, information technology and cross-continental means of communication.
*Our differences are not really with the Islamic peoples or the ruling regimes, because the regimes revolve around us and derive their survival from us, and implement our policies that serve Western national security first, regardless of their national security.
*So where does the reality of the crisis lie in our relations with the Islamic world as a whole and the Arab world as the center of this world?
*Our real problem lies with (Islam itself and with Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam himself)* because it is a civilized religion that has detailed answers to all existential and civilizational questions, and it is a stubborn competitor to Western civilization, which has begun to lose its brilliance, while Islam and Muhammad are becoming increasingly brilliant even within our European societies, which liberal values have allowed freedom of thought and weakened the authority of the Church, and this free and abstract thinking has led many elites and youth to embrace Islam, because they found in it all the answers to their psychological, spiritual, existential and social needs that our contradictory civilization has drowned them in.
*Our real problem is with Islam itself and will remain so because we have no choice but to confront the Islamic flow and Islamic thought in all ways, because the other choice is to acknowledge that Islam is the true religion of God and the religion of Jesus and all the prophets, and this will lead us to embrace it, so that we may reach the kingdom of God in this world and the afterlife. This will take us back to square one in the conflicts of religion and state in Christian thought, although there is a vast difference between Islam and Christianity on these issues.
*We have no choice but to resist Islam, even if this leads to our countries and institutions abandoning liberal values. We must enact laws that push Muslims to leave Europe. Sweden is an example, which imposes homosexuality, perversion, and atheism laws. This is what most prompts Muslims to leave Europe or assimilate into its civilization and lose their faith in Islam. We must also prevent immigration from the Islamic world to Europe and America, even in cooperation with Islamic countries, and open the way for the immigration of non-Muslim peoples.
*On the other hand, we must continue to support Israel, no matter how harsh its measures are, so that it does not allow the establishment of a nucleus for an Islamic regime in Gaza that encourages Islamic peoples to follow its example. In this regard, it is possible to benefit from the great support that Israel enjoys from Arab countries, which fear the establishment of any Islamic or democratic regime. This is a third important point, which is supporting Arab regimes, their institutions, armies, and various agencies that prevent the establishment of any regime that derives its values from the teachings of Muhammad and his holy book.
*It does not matter whether what we are doing is wrong or invalid or legitimate or illegitimate, this is a matter that must be settled and we must work on it and through it. We are facing a major challenge between our liberal values and our national security, which are now two contradictory values, and the Islamic momentum emanating from everywhere in the world as if it were water vapor that we do not know where the sun rose from. We must not test the correctness and incorrectness of Islamic values because that may lead most of us to Islam and the religious values of Muhammad. At the same time, there is a need for doses of Christianity, but in a controlled manner that does not affect the achievements of Western civilization, with the aim of limiting the penetration of Islam into our lands.
*We are now between contradictory and frightening options because continuing with our liberal options makes us lose immunity from the Islamic invasion, and returning to the church destroys our liberal values and affects our civilizational achievements. Generations have grown up in the West who do not believe in Christ and will not be able to return to the church after the winds of unlimited openness.
*What I fear is that in the future we will have no choice but to push towards a major war that will limit freedoms, disrupt public life, ignite endless wars in Islamic countries, and deprive Islam of the climate of peace through which it can expand.
*Unless we address this, mosques and minarets will fill Europe, and Islamists will control parliamentary seats, public opinion, and the economy in any European election, and then rule Europe with the teachings of Islam. Allah’s guidance and support we seek.