A VIDEO circulating on social media claims to show the former senator who represented Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart Adeyemi, criticising President Bola Tinubu on the floor of the Senate over insecurity in Nigeria.
The accompanying caption claims that Adeyemi was fiercely addressing Tinubu’s administration, warning it that loyal party members could no longer remain silent.
The video, which features a digital watermark reading “22-05-2026” from an account branded as EdoOnlineTv, was shared by a verified X user @DAMIADENUGA on May 22, 2026, with the caption: “President Tinubu should understand that we, the loyal supporters of the APC, can no longer remain silent, our security system has c0llaps£d, and every part of this country now lives under f£ar and uncertainty.”
As of May 22, the clip has generated over 17,000 views, 400 likes and more than 130 reposts.
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CLAIM
Video shows APC Senator Smart Adeyemi during a Senate plenary session on May 22, 2026, lambasting the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over nationwide insecurity.
FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.
A reverse image search conducted on keyframes from the video, combined with keyword searches, reveals that the video is completely recycled.
The emotional plenary session featuring Adeyemi took place on April 27, 2021. He was contributing to an urgent motion sponsored by another senator, Mohammed Musa, regarding the infiltration of Boko Haram terrorists into communities in Niger State. The lawmaker broke down in tears as he criticised the administration of the then President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of the situation and called on president, now late, to rise to the occasion and seek foreign assistance. Adeyemi argued that the nation was on fire.
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Unedited footage found by The FactCheckHub, dating back to April 2021, shows that the statement was explicitly directed at Buhari and not at Tinubu. Tinubu did not assume office until May 29, 2023, more than two years after Adeyemi passed his remarks, as contained in the video.
Furthermore, Adeyemi is not a member of the current 10th National Assembly. He served in the 9th National Assembly, which concluded its term in June 2023.
VERDICT
The claim that the video shows Smart Adeyemi criticising Tinubu’s administration over insecurity is MISLEADING. The video is from April 2021 during the late Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency. The digital timestamp is fabricated, as Adeyemi has not served in the Nigerian Senate since 2023.
Seasoned writer and literary curator, Zainab Abdulrasaq is a factchecker for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached on IG @blackbookishgirl or zabdulrasaq@icirnigeria.org
