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DUBAWA and its partners, under the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC), have commenced real-time monitoring of false and misleading narratives for the Anambra governorship election.
As the people of Anambra head to the polls today, conversations and claims have intensified on social media regarding voter turnout, security, last-minute strategies, and the candidates.
This live election fact check will monitor and verify claims, debunk misinformation, and provide accurate context to ensure voters have access to credible information for the elections starting today.
CLAIM 1
CLAIM: Michael Chibuzo, in a Facebook group of over 85,000 members, claimed (archived) that two of Chukwuma Soludo’s Mayors were caught with N750 million cash each.
FINDINGS: In October 2024, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo swore in 21 local government chairpersons referred to as mayors. The Nigerian Fact-Checkers Coalition found no reports confirming such an arrest, and the Anambra State Police Command said the claim is false. Police Spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga informed the coalition that police patrol groups across the state had not reported such an incident.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: Nigeria Police
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Muktar Balogun
EDITORS: David Ajikobi, Lois Ugbede & Simbiat Bakare
Claim 2
CLAIM: A Facebook user, Bube Africà, shared (archived) a video displaying bundles of cash, claiming in the caption that it was “election-sensitive materials” delivered for the Anambra election.
FINDINGS: A reverse image search reveals that the same video was posted on Instagram in April 2025, months before the Anambra election in November. The captions claim the bundles of cash are from Nigeria’s socialite, Obi Cubana’s birthday celebration. Also, using keyword search, we located the same video posted on Pulse Nigeria’s TikTok account. The video has been on the internet before the Anambra election.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: Google reverse image search, Pulse Nigeria
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Muktar Balogun
EDITORS: David Ajikobi, Lois Ugbede, Simbiat Bakare
Claim 3
CLAIM: An X user @Ojay147_ posted a picture of a man who sustained an injury on his head with the hashtag #anambradecides2025.
FINDINGS: An image search shows the image has been online since 2018. A TV report from Igbere TV News on June 24, 2018, shows that the picture was taken during a violent clash among members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Dunukofia Local Government Area, Anambra State. The party’s deputy chairperson, Emma Otika, reportedly sustained a head injury during the attack when party executives from Dunukofia staged a protest at APGA’s state secretariat and the state House of Assembly in Awka.
VERDICT: Misleading
SOURCES: Igbere TV News, Facebook
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Fatimah Quadri
EDITOR: David Ajikobi & Simbiat Bakare
CLAIM 4
CLAIM: X user, @Esteembehemoth, declares (archived)Governor Charles Soludo as the winner in the ongoing Anambra elections
FINDINGS: As of 12:30 p.m. on November 8, voting is ongoing in all polling units in Anambra State. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to declare a winner for the governorship election.
VERDICT: Incorrect
SOURCES: INEC
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Pascal Ibe
EDITORS: David Ajikobi & Simbiat Bakare
Claim 6
CLAIM: A Facebook user, Ogechukwu Akwaeze, claimed that the local government chairperson of Anambra East, Ifeanyi Chinweze, visited Community Development Primary School, Umueri Ward 2, Unit 003, accompanied by armed men to disrupt the election and intimidate voters.
FINDINGS: CJID observer Grace Nnoruka informed NFC that the LGA chairperson visited some polling units in the area. She also confirmed the presence of police vans in the polling unit but noted there was no form of intimidation. The observer stated that the LG chairperson and the police arrived at different times but departed almost simultaneously. Images from Arise TV confirm the peaceful conduct of the election at the polling unit.
VERDICT: Misleading
SOURCES: NFC observer, Arise TV
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Elizabeth Ogunbamowo
EDITORS: Simbiat Bakare & Lois Ugbede
CLAIM 7
CLAIM: A TikTok user, Nigeria Undivided, shared a video showing a group of women being helped to thumbprint on a ballot paper, claiming it was recorded in Anambra on November 8.
FINDINGS: A key frame analysis of the video revealed that it was originally shared on X in 2023 by user @ThatVyktur, who alleged election rigging in the South East during the general election. The video is therefore not recent.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: X (formerly Twitter)
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Elizabeth Ogunbamowo
EDITORS: Kemi Busari and Motunrayo Joel
CLAIM: 8
CLAIM: An X user, @Tkoy2025, claimed (archived) that there is massive vote-buying ongoing in Anambra State by APGA and APC.
FINDINGS: Two journalists covering the election, Chingorom Ugwu of PREMIUM TIMES and Mustapha Usman of the ICIR, confirmed witnessing vote-buying in multiple locations. Also, PREMIUM TIMES’ early report indicates that vote-buying is rampant.
VERDICT: Correct
SOURCES: Premium Times, Journalists
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Pascal Ibe
EDITORS: Motunrayo Joel and Kemi Busari
CLAIM 9
CLAIM: An X user claimed that Ezechukwu Nweke, Action Alliance (AA) gubernatorial candidate, is currently leading the polls by a wide margin.
FINDINGS: As of 2:37 pm, field observers from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) reported that election results had not yet been sorted or collated. Vote sorting across all polling units began at 2.30pm, making it impossible to verify which candidate was leading at the time the claim was made.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: CJID field observers
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Phillip Anjorin
EDITORS: Kemi Busari and Motunrayo Joel
CLAIM 10
CLAIM: An X user claimed that Ezechukwu Nweke, Action Alliance (AA) gubernatorial candidate, is currently leading the polls by a wide margin.
FINDINGS: As of 2:37 pm, field observers from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) reported that election results had not yet been sorted or collated. Vote sorting across all polling units began at 2.30pm, making it impossible to verify which candidate was leading at the time the claim was made.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: CJID field observers
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Phillip Anjorin
EDITORS: Kemi Busari and Motunrayo Joel
Claim 11
CLAIM: An X user claims Peter Obi was spotted sharing money.
FINDINGS: A Google Reverse image search reveals that the picture attached to the claim has been online since December 2022. Additionally, NFC compared the photo in the images with the one shared by a field observer with the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID), as well as news platforms, and observed a total difference in the clothes he wore during the ongoing election.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: Google Reverse Image, CJID field observer, Punch and The Nation.
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Mohammed Taoheed EDITORS: Kemi Busari and Simbiat Bakare
Claim 12
CLAIM: An X user claimed that the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, defeated the Labour Party with 73 votes to 57 votes at Peter Obi’s polling unit.
FINDINGS: Data from the INEC IReV portal revealed that the APC garnered 73 votes from the 173 valid ballots in Polling unit 019, Umudim Akasi Square, Agulu II Ward, Anaocha Local Government. By contrast, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) recorded 38 votes, while the Labour Party gained 57 votes.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: INEC IReV
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Phillip Anjorin
EDITORS: Kemi
Claim 13
CLAIM: An X user claimed that voters are being swayed with Gala and Malt at the ongoing Anambra guber poll.
FINDINGS: The NFC used various techniques and tools to trace the video’s origin, but found no leads. While vote-buying has been confirmed during the ongoing election, the video’s poor quality raises doubts about whether it is related to the gubernatorial poll.
VERDICT: UNPROVEN
SOURCES: Field observers
DATE: 8/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Phillip Anjorin
EDITORS: Kemi
