DUBAWA and its partners under the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) have commenced real-time monitoring of false and misleading narratives ahead of the Nov. 8, 2025, Anambra governorship election.
As the people of Anambra prepare for the polls, conversations online and offline are intensifying around voter turnout, security and last-minute campaign activities.
Alongside these discussions, a wave of claims has started circulating across social media platforms.
This pre-election fact-check page will track and verify claims in circulation, debunk falsehoods, and provide accurate context to ensure that voters have access to credible information before the poll.
CLAIM 1
No evidence, Anambra governor declared Friday public holiday for teachers to serve as delegates
CLAIM: An X user @mr_niceguy234 claimed Anambra state governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has declared a public holiday on Friday, Nov 7, 2025, because teachers are to serve as delegates during the election.
FINDINGS: News reports confirm that the Anambra state government had declared Friday, November 7, 2025, a public holiday for all workers in the state, not only teachers. In a statement, the state government said the directive was to encourage workers to actively participate in the elections.
NFC sources, Mboho Eno of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, and Alfred Ajayi, a senior journalist in Awka, said the claim could not be substantiated.
“From interactions, there is no official evidence to back up the claim as of now,” Mboho told NFC.
Also, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Queen Agwu, said she could not confirm the claim.
Further checks showed that the claimant has deleted the tweet.
VERDICT: MISLEADING!
SOURCES: TheCable Newspaper, Election observers, INEC REC
DATE: 7/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Elizabeth Ogunbamowo
EDITORS: Lois Ugbede, Motunrayo Joel, and Simbiat Bakare
Claim 2
CLAIM: A Facebook post urging votes for the Labour Party claims, “All you need is your voter’s card, index finger, and ballot paper,” with a graphic saying, “Use the index finger to vote.”
FINDINGS: The 2023 election voting procedure document does not specify any finger for voting. Also, ahead of the 2019 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) addressed claims about which finger should be used for voting. In a tweet on February 12, 2019, INEC clarified: “A voter can use any finger to vote but must ensure the mark is clear and placed inside the box of the chosen political party without straying into another box.”
VERDICT: Misleading
SOURCE: INEC
DATE: 7/11/2025
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Allwell Okpi
EDITORS: Motunrayo Joel & Opeyemi Kehinde
Use the index finger to vote
No evidence Anambra governor declared Friday public holiday for teachers to serve as delegates
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