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Disinformation in Brazil election: Lessons for Nigeria ahead of 2023 polls

Opeyemi Kehinde
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Disinformation in Brazil election: Lessons for Nigeria ahead of 2023 polls

For fact-checkers across the world, election season comes with an enormous task, as it is often characterised by misinformation and disinformation. And the October 2022 second run-off election in Brazil isn’t an exemption.

Supporters of the major contenders in Brazil’s 2022 presidential election – incumbent far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, seeking another term in office, and his left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a former president – have polarised the South American country with misinformation and disinformation.

The country’s electoral umpire declared Lula da Silva winner of the keenly contested election, according to Time magazine.

According to DataReportal, there were 171.5 million social media users in Brazil in January 2022; that is equivalent to 79.9 per cent of its total population of 214.7 million as of January 2022. The report added a caveat: “it’s important to note that social media users may not represent unique individuals.”

READ: Nigerian political figures fact-checked during off-cycle governorship elections in Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa

In essence, more than half of the country’s population likely made their voting decisions based on what they read, watch or listen to online.

A 2022 study by UK’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the University of Oxford found that more than 70 per cent of Brazilians think disinformation is a problem on Facebook, WhatsApp, Google and YouTube. TikTok also played a role in the increasing digital disinformation in Brazil’s election.

From claims about corruption, Covid-19, deforestation, guns, organised crimes, Satanism and Cannibalism etc, Brazilian fact-checkers at Lupa, AFP Checamos, Aos Fatos, Boatos.org, Comprova, e-Farsas, Agência Pública and Fato ou Fake, among others rose up to the task of sharing factual information and debunking fake news to reduce “the impact of lies in the election.”

As CNN reported, “Distrust has been exacerbated by a bitter campaign season, marked by intense misinformation campaigns and name-calling on both sides.”

“Authorities in Brazil have ramped up efforts to remove inaccurate information from social media websites, even setting up their own platform to debunk some of the accusations. But the effort sparked cries of censorship among supporters of Bolsonaro, who have faced more investigations of alleged misinformation dissemination than those backing Lula,” it added.

Like Brazil, President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government in October 2022 said misinformation aggravates insecurity and distrust between his government and the Nigerian populace.

Nigeria is witnessing floods of misinformation on its cyberspace, especially across social media platforms, where supporters of the leading presidential contenders are influencing online conversations and political campaigns ahead of the African nation’s 2023 general elections.

The top three presidential candidates in next year’s election in Nigeria are Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

Over the last few months, fact-checkers at The FactCheckHub, like their counterparts in Brazil, have debunked posts and videos spread on social media by purveyors of misinformation and disinformation, which oftentimes are partly supporters of the trio.

From an old video of Tinubu working out, to a video of Dino Melaye (Atiku’s spokesperson) ‘supporting’ Peter Obi and a popular Nigerian music artiste, Charly Boy, making false claim about October 1 rally held by Peter Obi’s supporters, Nigeria’s internet users population of 109.2 millions (as of January 2022) are battling with how to make informed decisions regarding who will represent them in the next democratic administration.

The presidential candidates are not left out in sharing misinformation among the populace. The FactCheckHub had earlier published analysis on false claims made by Atiku, Tinubu and how Obi repeatedly quoted wrong figures in public. Recently, one of the trio shared a misleading photo that went viral.

This prompted the formation of the Nigerian Fact-Checkers Coalition (NFC) which consists of three International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) signatories, civil societies and newsrooms working together to curb the spread of misinformation and disinformation before and during the next Nigeria’s election.

The NFC members include the Africa Check; FactCheckHub; Dubawa; International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR); Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID); Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD); FactsMatterNG; The Cable; Daily Trust; Premium Times, Digital Africa Research Lab and The Insight.

Formed in June 2022, the coalition in August wrote an Open Letter to Nigerian politicians calling them to shun misinformation in their campaigns and public speeches.

Also, on September 6, 2022 the coalition hosted an election disinformation conference with the theme: Nigeria’s 2023 Election: Curbing Information Disorder where panelists tasked all political stakeholders, diplomatic communities and tech giants such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc to help Nigeria in her fight against election misinformation and disinformation. Panelists at the event also raised concerns over state-sponsored misinformation in the country ahead of the polls, while tasking media organisations to fact-check their reports before disseminating to the public.

The coalition members, among others, are educating the Nigerian electorate and providing them with media literacy information, thus arming them with truth ahead of the elections.

Beyond these, The FactCheckHub also amplifies published fact-checks by producing snackable social videos in three major Nigerian languages – Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba – to educate our regional audience in their local languages.

This targets the rural audience who have little, semi-formal or non-formal education spread across the villages in the entire country and border communities of other neighbouring countries who speak similar languages, such as the Hausa-speaking Niger communities in northern Nigerian borders and Yoruba-speaking Cotonou (Côte d’Ivoire) communities in Western Nigeria etc.

ALSO READ: Video does not show Osun governor, Adeleke dancing half-naked

Unlike in Brazil where the nation’s Superior Electoral Court became the protagonist in the battle against election misinformation, Nigeria’s electoral umpire tasked media organisations to step up their fact-checking efforts to tackle misinformation head-on.

Though the Nigerian government has made several attempts to pass a bill regulating social media usage in the country, it has been met with stiff resistance from the civil society, media, and ordinary Nigerians.

Just as “Disinformation is obviously a major problem for Brazil’s democracy,” according to analysts, the Nigerian fact-checking community, including the media needs to synergise efforts in advancing media literacy to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process by providing the Nigerian electorate factual information at all times.

Similarly, they must ensure that they closely monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by all political candidates across the country without bias; be it in the form of radio and Television ads, debates, speeches, interviews or press releases published in newspapers or shared on social platforms.

They must also seek and secure the unwavering commitment of social media platforms to fighting fake news in Nigeria, beyond mere photo-ops and rhetoric.

No, Video does not show Reno Omokri campaigning in support of Tinubu at Chatham House

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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No, Video does not show Reno Omokri campaigning in support of Tinubu at Chatham House

ON Monday, December 5, 2022, a viral video shared by The Nation Newspaper claimed that a former presidential aide to Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, was campaigning in support of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate for Nigeria’s 2023 election.

Omokri is a staunch supporter and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The 25-second footage appeared on the heel of Tinubu’s appearance at the Chatham House in the United Kingdom.

The APC candidate had visited, alongside his loyalists, including the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to deliver a lecture on security, economy and foreign policy ahead of next year’s poll.   

Tinubu, a two-term former Governor of Lagos State, also utilised the platform to speak on his vision, policies and personal issues, such as his actual age, which had been under contention.

As of the time of filing this report at 6:00PM on Monday, the video post has garnered over 8,400 views and multiple reactions.

While netizens expressed confusion over the post, others who appeared as APC supporters described the politician (Omokri) as “a fan of Tinubu, you can’t tell me otherwise”.     

THE CLAIM

Reno Omokri joins APC supporters in London to campaign for Bola Tinubu at Chatham House.

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show the claim is FALSE.

The Chatham House is an independent policy institute headquartered in London. The group, also recognised as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, has become a place most presidential political candidates visit to showcase their agenda, especially as they get close to the election period.

A former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, was at the Chatham House in April 2018.

Meanwhile, an analysis of the video showed that contrary to the claim, Reno was actually using derogatory words against Tinubu in a protest at the same location (Chatham House).

Screenshot of the tweeted video showing Reno Omokri was protesting against Tinubu’s candidacy in London on Monday with a placard that reads: ‘No to a drug baron in Aso Rock.’

Research showed that there were two camps around the Chatham House, a camp loyal to Tinubu, and Reno’s Camp (who were protesting against Tinubu’s candidacy).

Armed with a megaphone, Reno had earlier displayed a placard with an inscription – “No To a Drug Baron in Aso Rock.” A fellow protester was with another placard with the inscription – “Nigerians Reject Bola Escobar And His Heroin Cartel.”

They chanted demonstration songs amid the protests, findings revealed.

In a separate video of about 39 seconds from the same location, Omokri and his team yelled in Yoruba language – ‘Tinubu Ole’, literally translated to mean “Tinubu is a thief” in English.

However, due to the rival groups’ proximity in the controversial footage, pro-Tinubu supporters rather ended Omokri’s chanting with “Tinubu for president” as the two protesting groups shout.

THE VERDICT

As of when the claim was made, Omokri’s pinned tweet showed that the PDP supporter was demonstrating against the APC presidential candidate, which was also validated by a-52-second video.

Thus, contrary to the claim, photographs, placards and videos from the same incident revealed that Reno was protesting against Tinubu at the said location and not in support. The claim is, therefore, FALSE.

Google, YouTube partner IFCN to support global fact-checking initiatives with $13.2m grant

Faith Abeka
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Google, YouTube partner IFCN to support global fact-checking initiatives with $13.2m grant

THE International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has announced a partnership with Google and YouTube to support the fight against misinformation globally.

A statement on Tuesday from the US-based global body of fact-checkers said the social media platforms are providing the IFCN a $13.2 million grant, which includes a $12 million Global Fact Check Fund primarily for verified signatories to the IFCN’s Code of Principles.

It added that not less than 135 organizations from 65 countries known to  promote high standards of transparency and non-partisanships for fact-checkers have been listed to benefit from the grant.

READ: IFCN awards $1million to 20 fact-checking organizations to expand operations

IFCN’s executive director, Baybars Örsek, stated: “The world needs fact-checking more than ever before. This partnership with Google and YouTube infuses financial support to global fact-checkers and is a step in the right direction.”

“And while there’s much work to be done, this partnership has sparked meaningful collaboration and an important step,” he said.

Also commenting, Olivia Ma, Managing Director, Global News Programs and Ecosystem at Google, said: “Combating misinformation is an ongoing global challenge for society. We take seriously our role in helping to fight misinformation by continually investing in products, programs and partnerships that help people access high-quality information.”

“Expanding Google and YouTube’s work with the IFCN means that more independent fact-checkers around the world will have the tools and capacity to help people make informed decisions.”

The statement added that the associated grants distributed through this new fund will support fact-checking organizations at varying stages of their development.

ALSO READ: FactCheck247 trains Kwara community on fighting misinformation

“Dollar amounts will be adjusted to equalize the purchasing power of the fact-checking organizations’ home nation. Details of grant distribution will be announced in 2023.

“In addition to the grants to directly strengthen and expand fact-checking, Google and YouTube will offer supplemental financial support for the IFCN to establish a neutral and independent selection committee; improve the reporting, monitoring and evaluation of the funded fact-check efforts; and expand the capacity of the IFCN to serve the international fact-checking community. 

“In addition to providing the financial support, members of the Google and YouTube teams are working with the IFCN community to explore cooperation, analytics and tools that fact-checkers need to fight disinformation on specific platforms, and to expand resources to non-English speaking nations,” it noted.

Örsek added, “Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change within the global fact-checking community. We are grateful to Google and YouTube for their commitment to bolster fact-checkers in an ever-increasing environment of mis- and disinformation.”

Launched in 2015 at the Poynter Institute, the IFCN brings together the growing community of fact-checkers globally and advocates of factual information in the fight against misinformation.

Fact-checking Obi’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Fact-checking Obi’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday, November 21, 2022 made several claims on the situation of the country and his plans for Nigerians if elected Nigeria’s president in the 2023 general elections.

He made the claims at the presidential town hall series titled ‘The Candidates,’ which was organised by Daria Media in partnership with News Central, and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), among others.

The town hall series features six presidential candidates and their running mates ahead of the February 2023 presidential election alongside their running mates, starting from November 17 till November 23.

The presidential candidates are: Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC), Peter Gregory Obi (LP), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP), Omoyele Sowore (AAC) and Adewole Adebayo (SDP). However, Tinubu and Atiku later couldn’t attend the town hall series on assigned dates.

The Nigerian Fact-checkers Coalition (NFC) which includes The FactCheckHub, examined the veracity of these claims.

 

CLAIM  1

Peter Obi claimed that over 130 million live in poverty in Nigeria.

FINDINGS

According to a recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on multi-dimensional poverty, about  133 million people in the country, representing 63 per cent of the population, are living in different categories of poverty.

The report stated that 65 per cent of the poor (86 million people) live in the North, while 35 per cent (nearly 47 million) live in the South.

The National Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report is 0.257, indicating that poor people in Nigeria experience just over one-quarter of all possible deprivations.

The report stresses that poverty levels across states vary significantly, with the incidence of multi-dimensional poverty ranging from a low of 27 per cent in Ondo to a high of 91 per cent in Sokoto.

According to the report, over half of the population of Nigeria are multi-dimensionally poor and cook with dung, wood or charcoal, rather than with cleaner energy.

According to the report, high deprivations are also apparent nationally in sanitation, healthcare, food insecurity, and housing.

Accordingly, the incidence of monetary poverty is lower than the incidence of MPI across most states.

In Nigeria, 40.1 per cent of people had been deemed poor, according to the 2018/19 national monetary poverty line, but 63 per cent have now been regarded  multi-dimensionally poor according to the National MPI 2022.

VERDICT

Peter Obi’s claim that over 130 million people live in poverty in Nigeria is TRUE; as confirmed by the recent NBS report.

READ: How accurate is Obi’s claim on Nigeria’s public debt profile?

CLAIM 2

Peter Obi claimed that Israel’s export last year (2021) is $59.8 billion.

FINDINGS

According to Israel’s Ministry of Economy and Industry, the country accrued $143 billion in exports in 2021. 

The World Bank also estimates that Israel made $143.05 billion on exports of goods and services.

VERDICT

Obi’s claim that Israel’s export for 2021 is $59.8 billion is FALSE; findings show that the figure is higher.

 

CLAIM 3

Peter Obi claimed that Nigeria export was N18.9 trillion in 2021.

FINDINGS

Nigeria’s exports are goods grown, extracted or manufactured in Nigeria and are transported to another country for sale or trade. It is a crucial element of a country’s economy.

In Nigeria, it is divided into oil and non-oil exports. However, oil exports are the dominant portion of Nigeria’s export revenues.

India remains the top export destination for Nigeria with 16.4% (US$7.8 billion) of Nigeria’s total exports in 2021. Others were Spain, France, The Netherlands, Canada, USA, Italy and Indonesia.

A report by the National Bureau of Statistics titled “Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics (Q4 2021)” shows that Nigeria’s total exports amounted to 18.9 trillion Nigerian naira (NGN) in 2021 while total imports stood at N20.84 trillion.

VERDICT

Peter Obi’s claim that Nigeria’s total export in 2021 was N18.9 trillion is TRUE; as confirmed by the NBS data.

 

CLAIM 4

Peter Obi claimed that oil contributes less than 10 percent of Nigeria’s GDP.

FINDINGS 

According to the National Bureau of Statistics’ Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Q2 2022, the Oil sector contributed 6.33% to the total real GDP in Q2 2022,  down from the figures recorded in the corresponding period of 2021 and the preceding quarter, where it contributed 7.42% and 6.63% respectively.

VERDICT

Obi’s claim that oil contributes less than 10% of Nigeria’s GDP is TRUE.

ALSO READ: 2023 Elections: Nigerian fact-checkers unveil situation rooms in Lagos, Abuja

CLAIM 5

Peter Obi claimed that River Nile is over 1,000 kilometre longer than River Niger and River Benue combined.

FINDINGS 

According to Fortune Africa and Reuters, River Nile is the longest river in Africa and in the world with a length of 6,650 km (4,132mi); Niger River is the third longest river in Africa, extending about 4,200 km (2,611 mi); Benue River is about 673 miles (1,083 km) in length. So, adding the length of River Niger and Benue together and subtracting them from that of The Nile would result in 1,367 km.

VERDICT

Peter Obi’s claim that River Nile is over 1,000 km longer than River Niger and River Benue is TRUE.

 

CLAIM 6

Peter Obi claimed that Netherlands’ agricultural export last year was €103 billion (Euros) – that’s $120 billion.

FINDINGS

The estimated total of Netherlands agricultural exports in 2021 was €104.7 billion, data from the Wageningen Economic Research (WUR) and Statistics Netherlands, Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) revealed. Out of the figure provided, €75.7 billion domestically produced goods were exported in 2021 while €29.0 billion came from re-exported agricultural goods which originated from other countries.

Netherlands is rated the world’s second largest exporter of agricultural products after the US, according to the International Trade Administration, US Department of Commerce.

VERDICT

Obi’s claim that Netherlands’ agricultural export last year was €103 billion ($120 billion) is FALSE; findings show that the figure was a bit higher.

 

Nigerian Fact-checkers' Coalition

*This live-check was researched and written by members of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) and edited by Kemi Busari (Dubawa Nigeria), David Ajikobi (Africa Check Nigeria), Ajibola Amzat and Opeyemi Kehinde (FactCheckHub).

Fact-checking Kwankwaso’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Fact-checking Kwankwaso’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

AHEAD of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Saturday made several claims on his achievement as a former governor of Kano state and his plans for Nigerians if elected Nigeria’s number one citizen in the next democratic dispensation.

Kwankwaso was the governor of Kano state between 1999 to 2003. He initially lost his second bid to Ibrahim Shekarau in 2003 before he re-contested and won again as the state governor in 2011.

The town hall series features six presidential candidates ahead of the February 2023 presidential election alongside their running mates, starting from November 17 till November 23.

The presidential candidates are: Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC), Peter Gregory Obi (LP), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP), Omoyele Sowore (AAC) and Adewole Adebayo (SDP). Saturday’s edition featured Kwankwaso, who was also a former Defence minister.

READ: Fact-checking Adewole Adebayo’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

The Nigerian Fact-checkers Coalition (NFC) which includes The FactCheckHub, examined the veracity of these claims.

CLAIM 1

Kwankwaso claimed that he never borrowed money when he was governor of Kano state. 

THE FINDINGS

According to a report by Premium Times, Kano state Commissioner of Information, Mohammed Garba, said that Kwankwaso borrowed N4.161 billion from pensioners’ funds to build Bandirawo and Amana Housing Estates.

He added that when the project was completed, the government realized pensioners could not afford housing units in the estates because of the cost.

In a Vanguard report in 2021, the former Kano governor was probed by the EFCC for allegedly mismanaging N10 billion in pension remittances between 2011 and 2015.

VERDICT

The claim that Kwankwaso did not borrow money when he was Kano state governor is FALSE; findings show that he borrowed at least N4.161 billion to execute some projects in the state.

ALSO READ: Fact-checking Sowore’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

 

CLAIM 2

Kwankwaso claimed that he didn’t leave debt behind in his two terms in office as the Kano state governor.

THE FINDINGS

Kwankwaso was the governor of Kano State between 1999-2003 and 2011-2015. 

According to data from the Debt Management Office, Kano state had a debt of $59.8 million US dollars ($59,796,931.03) as of 30th of June, 2015, about a month after Kwankwaso left the office.

Similarly, a report by Premium Times quoted the Kano state’s treasury department as saying Kwankwaso left over N200 billion debt as the governor in 2015. No data was found yet on Kano’s debt profile when he left office in 2003.

VERDICT

The claim by Kwankwaso that he did not leave any debt in office in his tenures as the Kano state governor is FALSE.

 

Nigerian Fact-checkers' Coalition

*This live-check was researched and written by members of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) and edited by Kemi Busari (Dubawa Nigeria), David Ajikobi (Africa Check Nigeria), Ajibola Amzat and Opeyemi Kehinde (FactCheckHub).

Fact-checking Sowore’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Fact-checking Sowore’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, on Friday made several claims on the situation of the country and his plans for Nigerians if elected Nigeria’s president in the 2023 general elections.

He made the claims at the presidential town hall series titled ‘The Candidates,’ which was organised by Daria Media in partnership with News Central, and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), among others.

The town hall series features six presidential candidates ahead of the February 2023 presidential election alongside their running mates, starting from November 17 till November 23.

The presidential candidates are: Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC), Peter Gregory Obi (LP), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP), Omoyele Sowore (AAC) and Adewole Adebayo (SDP). Friday’s edition featured Sowore.

The Nigerian Fact-checkers Coalition (NFC) which includes The FactCheckHub, examined the veracity of these claims.

READ: Claim that Sowore, Kperogi endorsed Peter Obi for president is FALSE

CLAIM 1:

Obasanjo’s administration spent $16 billion dollars on the power sector – Sowore.

FINDINGS

There were allegations that President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration spent $16 billion on power projects. However, there are no publicly available official records that prove this. Some members of the Obasanjo administration have refuted the claim.

Also, a 2017 report on corruption in the power sector by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) records that Obasanjo’s administration spent $10 billion, not $16 billion on NIPP from the testimony of the former President’s Chief Economic Adviser, Taminu Yakubu, while testifying before the Senate probe committee.

Similarly, a breakdown published by the Vanguard shows that the Federal Government released a total sum of N374.65 billion or $2.9 billion to the Ministry of Power between 1999 to 2006 under Obasanjo’s regime.

According to the Vanguard, the breakdown was part of the report presented by the former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, and the Managing Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, James Olotu, before a Senate Ad-hoc Committee probing the power sector from 1999 to 2015.

VERDICT

Sowore’s claim that Obasanjo’s government spent $16 bn on power is FALSE; as findings revealed that the figure is lower.

 

CLAIM 2:

Nigerian government still funds electricity in spite of privatization, says Sowore.

FINDINGS

The federal government privatised the power sector in November 2013, with six power generation plants and 11 electricity distribution companies handed over to the private sector.

The Federal Government, however, retained control of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The sector was unbundled and partially privatised to establish a competitive market intended to improve management and efficiency, attract private investment, increase generation, and provide a reliable and cost-efficient power supply.

However, Daily Trust reported that the federal government spent N247 billion as an intervention fund for power sector in 2021 to mitigate the endless liquidity crisis affecting the industry and keep electricity generation and supply going.

Also, a report by the Premium Times quoted Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as saying that the federal government spent about N1.5 trillion as intervention funds for Nigeria’s power sector between 2017 and 2018.

VERDICT

Sowore’s claim that the federal government still funds the power sector is TRUE; as findings show that the Nigerian government spent billions of naira on the sector as intervention funds.

 

CLAIM 3:

The AAC presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, claimed that former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is ‘being jailed in London currently.’

FINDINGS

The former Nigerian Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and his wife are currently facing trial at a British court for allegedly bringing a child to the United Kingdom for organ harvesting.

Multiple reports, including from the Sky News and Vanguard, indicate that Ekweremadu has spent over 130 days in custody of the UK authorities over human trafficking charges. A recent report by BBC shows that his trial has been moved forward from May 2023 to January 2023 while he remains in police custody. Although in detention, Ekweremadu is not jailed (yet).

VERDICT

Sowore’s claim that Ekweremadu ‘is being jailed in London currently’ is MISLEADING, as findings revealed that Ekweremadu is still in detention and under police custody and not in jail, as he’s yet to be convicted.

ALSO READ: Fact-checking Adewole Adebayo’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

CLAIM 4:

Sowore also claimed that Korea and Senegal do not have ‘Senates’

FINDINGS

A BBC report noted that the Senegalese MPs voted to abolish the Senate, in 2012, as part of moves to help the victims of floods. CBS news also reported that the Senegalese lawmakers dissolved the 100-seat Senate in the country to save money. Similarly, findings show that North Korea runs a unicameral national legislature.

VERDICT

Sowore’s claim that Korea and Senegal do not have ‘Senates’ is TRUE.

 

Nigerian Fact-checkers' Coalition

*This live-check was researched and written by members of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) and edited by Kemi Busari (Dubawa Nigeria), David Ajikobi (Africa Check Nigeria), Ajibola Amzat and Opeyemi Kehinde (FactCheckHub).

Fact-checking Adewole Adebayo’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

Raji Olatunji
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Fact-checking Adewole Adebayo’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

AHEAD of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, made an appearance at a town hall debate where he spoke on several issues relating to the country’s economy and health, among others.

The event, held on Thursday, 17th of November, 2022, was part of ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series being organised by Daria Media with the support of the Macarthur Foundation.

Speaking on his plans for Nigeria if elected president in 2023, Adebayo claimed that 80 per cent of Nigeria’s crude oil is being stolen.

READ: Fact-checking Kwankwaso’s claims at ‘The Candidates’ presidential town hall series

He also claimed that he would, for the first time, in a long time, appoint an economist as the head of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) if elected.

Adebayo further claimed that the counterpart health funding is not being paid by state governments in Nigeria.

Adebayo, a prince, lawyer and founder of KAFTAN Television, emerged as the flag bearer of the SDP in June 2022 after clinching the highest votes in the primary election held by the party in Abuja.

CLAIM 1:

Adebayo claimed that 80 per cent of Nigeria’s crude oil is being stolen.

FINDINGS

Findings by the Nigerian Fact-checkers Coalition show that the claim is FALSE.

 

The coalition did a live check during the interaction and found that the amount of crude oil the country lost to theft and vandalism was way lesser than 80 per cent.

The official figures cited from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) revealed that Nigeria lost 115,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) between January and February 2022.

The data shows that the crude oil loss was less than 10 per cent of the country’s regular daily production of about 1.5 million barrels a day.

VERDICT

Adebayo’s claim that 80 per cent of Nigeria’s crude oil is being stolen is FALSE.

 

CLAIM 2:

Adebayo claimed that an economist has not served as the governor of CBN in a long time.

FINDINGS

The fact-checkers coalition’s findings show that the claim is FALSE.

 

 

An extensive keyword search by the Coalition revealed that several economists have served as governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Former governors Sanusi Lamido, Charles Soludo, Aliyu Mai Borno and Clement Nyong Isong, were said to be among the economists who have headed the country’s apex bank.

VERDICT

Adebayo’s claim that an economist has not served as the CBN governor in a long time is FALSE.

 

CLAIM 3:

Adebayo claimed that the counterpart health funding is not being paid in Nigeria.

ALSO READ: 2023 polls: Seven ways to avoid election misinformation

FINDINGS

Findings by the Coalition show that the claim is TRUE.

In a news report, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in July 2022 called on state governments across Nigeria to pay their counterpart funds.

This was to enable them to qualify for benefits from global organisations’ support for health infrastructure, ThisDay reported.

VERDICT

Adebayo’s claim that the counterpart health funding is not being paid in Nigeria is TRUE.

 

 

Nigerian Fact-checkers' Coalition

*This live-check was researched and written by members of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) and edited by Kemi Busari (Dubawa Nigeria), David Ajikobi (Africa Check Nigeria), Ajibola Amzat and Opeyemi Kehinde (FactCheckHub).

Unrelated video used to depict Nigerian Senator hiding stacks of money in house

Editorial
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Unrelated video used to depict Nigerian Senator hiding stacks of money in house

By Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition.

Claim

A LinkedIn user alleged that Orji Uzor Kalu, a serving Senator and former Governor of Abia State, is hiding stacks of money in his house.

 A screenshot from the alleged video
A screenshot from the alleged video.

 

Verdict

Video of an alleged stack of money linked to Orji Uzor Kalu, a serving Senator and former Governor of Abia state, is FALSE. The alleged clip has been in circulation since 2019 and was originally crafted by Alejandro Monge, a Spanish artist.

READ: Viral video does not show bundles of naira notes in warehouse

Full text

From sensational stories about a “tribe where the bride’s aunt must have sex with the groom to test his potency-Bayonkole Tribe”, to controversial pro-China-Russia propaganda riddled on his LinkedIn timeline, EkeneDiliChukwu Okafor, who described himself as an independent Journalist and Entrepreneur has shared several false information in recent times. 

His latest, a video depicts stacks of cash piled in a room which, according to Mr Ekene, were discovered in the home of Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia, a state in the southeastern parts of Nigeria. Mr Ekene shared alongside the video a short caption calling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to go after Kalu. 

“EFCC needs to go after @Orji Uzo Kalu, former governor of Abia state. Look at how he starched European currency in his house.”

Within 24 hours, the post attracted diverse remarks. While many users who commented on the post expressed  doubts, others affirmed it, expressing satisfaction with the recent decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria to change the Nigerian currency.

One Twitter user, Temitope Kade, who probably believes the claim, gave a sigh of resignation. 

“Oh my days!!! What a nation,” she remarked. 

Marc-Oliver Nguenti, another user, described  the post as fake news. In his view, the claim is a made-up movie. 

“Fake news!!! This was made up for a movie,” he challenged. 

Orji Uzor Kalu is a Nigerian politician with a controversial past.He is a current Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, and  Senate Chief Whip. The senator  was alsoa two-term Governor of Abia State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. 

In December 2019, a court of law convicted and sentenced Kalu to 12 years imprisonment for N7.65 billion  fraud. However, on Friday, 8th May 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that his trial was wrongly executed and freed him. Being a member of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),  false allegation as widely spread on social media about can trigger public condemnation about Kalu and his party

 

Verification 

When the Nigerian Fact-Checkers Coalition (NFC) subjected the alleged video to analysis on the InVid video verifier tool, results showed the clip had surfaced in different contexts with similar narrative. 

In 2019, the video appeared in the Cameroonian social media space, alleging that the Cameroonian minister of defence was hiding money in his house and his wife was attempting to burn it before police discovered it. The claim‌ referred to Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o, former Cameroonian minister of defence, suspected of embezzlement.

The same video also made headlines in Russia in the same year, alleging that Rauf Arashukov, a Russian Senator, had discreetly tried to burn money he had embezzled and stashed in his office. The claim came around the time when Arashukov was arrested on the accusations of murder. 

However, none of these narratives was true. The actual story links back to Alejandro Monge, a Spanish artist who crafted a three-metre-tall sculpture of money stashed in a room. The art was titled the “European Dream” and was entirely hand-painted to give it a money-like look. Since then, it has been displayed in the 3-Punts gallery in Barcelona and somewhere in Madrid, the Spanish capital. 

Monge’s post on Instagram debunking the claim (translated).

Monge posted this video on his Instagram page and further debunked the heralding claims. His post, originally in Spanish, highlights the need for people to question whatever they see on the internet before believing it. He expressed dismay, adding that it is essential for people to know who first shared a post and the reason behind it before sharing it. 

“Monge_art: It’s what the internet has that something is not known because it goes viral… and then no one knows what it is or to whom it belongs… thank you for sending me where you are going to see them from NY to WhatsApp groups all over the world.. well if people knew it’s a sculpture and the notes are hand painted.. @monge_art.”

In 2019, Monge told France24 that the way his art was depicted on social media came to him with mixed feelings. Admitting that, he felt flattered and at the same terrified. 

“When I saw that my installation had been misappropriated in Russia, I had mixed feelings about it. At first, I laughed a lot and was flattered that my sculpture could fool so many people, which meant it was really realistic. But then I started to get a bit afraid because it was connected with a scandal in Russia, and I didn’t want to be associated with that in any way,” Monge said. 

He explained that his art speaks about modern society and money’s influence in almost everything people do.

“My installation is a commentary on modern society and how everything revolves around money. I believe that money is the god of contemporary society.”

Monge clarified that the money is not real and it’s, in fact, hand-painted.

ALSO READ: Vo! Video does not show kidnappers of Ekiti school pupils

“My sculpture is made up of about 500,000 hand-painted fake bills made out of resin,” he stated. 

Monge in 2018 working on his sculpture of the stacks of euros. Photo credit: @monge_art
Monge in 2018 working on his sculpture of the stacks of euros. Photo credit: @monge_art.

 

Conclusion

The alleged video depicting a room stashed with money, said to be hidden by Orji Kalu, in his house is mis-contextualised. Monge, a Spanish artist originally shared the video on his Instagram page to showcase a piece of art he crafted as money stashed in a room.  This claim is FALSE.

 

* This fact-check was done by members of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition.

Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition joins Arise News presidential town hall series

Raji Olatunji
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Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition joins Arise News presidential town hall series

THE Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC) has announced that it has joined the Presidential Town Hall series being hosted by the Arise TV News.

A statement released on Saturday, November 12, 2022 by the NFC Secretariat, said the Coalition will be participating in the Arise TV Town Hall meeting scheduled for Sunday, November 13.

The Coalition said the development was part of its civic responsibility to combat disinformation in Nigeria.

The November 13 edition of the town hall series features the presidential candidates of Africa Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore; Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Sani; All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Peter Umeadi and Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo.

The NFC will conduct a live fact-checking of claims and counterclaims that will be made by candidates during the town hall meeting.

The Coalition comprises leading Nigerian newsrooms and think-tank groups such as Africa Check, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), and Daily Trust.

Other members include Digital Africa Research Lab, Dubawa, FactCheckHub, FactsMatterNG, International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Premium Times, The Cable, and The Insight.

The Managing Editor of ICIR, Ajibola Amzat, described the town hall meetings as an important opportunity for candidates to share their thoughts with Nigerians.

“But we should not take it for granted that the information the politicians will provide is gospel. That is why the role of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition is crucial in the town hall meeting series,”Amzat said.

Dubawa’s Editor, Kemi Busari, also expressed satisfaction with the contribution of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition so far.

According to him, the Coalition is set to engage important facts on the election and continuously help in curbing the spread of falsehood and avail citizens with accurate information to make political decisions.

Also commenting, The FactCheckHub’s Editor, Opeyemi Kehinde, stressed the Coalition’s objective to provide the electorate with accurate information.

He said, “As a member of the Coalition, we believe the success of Nigeria’s 2023 election holds the ace to advancing good governance, peace and security in the West African sub-region, thus our resolve to ensure that the Nigerian electorate have access to factual information that could enable them make informed decision during the election and beyond.”

The first edition of the presidential town hall series was held last Sunday, November 7, 2022.

It featured the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, who was represented by his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa; Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Abdulateef Kolawole Abiola, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP).

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was absent with no representative.

2023: How El-Rufai’s arrest during 2013 Anambra election spurs misinformation online

Raji Olatunji
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2023: How El-Rufai’s arrest during 2013 Anambra election spurs misinformation online

KADUNA State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai claimed that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, at the time he was governor of Anambra State, ordered his arrest when he visited Anambra in 2013.

According to him, Obi, who was governor on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), got him arrested and detained for forty-eight hours.

El-Rufai disclosed this while speaking at an interactive session between the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and the Arewa Joint Committee in Kaduna on Monday, October 17, 2022.

“In 2013, I went to Anambra State as an official of the APC to witness the bye-election for governorship. Your next guest, Peter Obi, as governor, got me arrested and detained for 48 hours in my hotel room.

“Now, I’m the Governor of Kaduna State, and he’s coming to Kaduna. In addition to the police and the State Secret Service, I have one Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army here, if I need to arrest and detain anyone. But we are northerners, we are civilised. We don’t do things like that. I wish you all safe journey back to your destinations,” El-Rufai said.

El-Rufai’s statement has since gone viral on social media and as well sparked mixed reactions, especially on Twitter.

The governor himself retweeted some of the tweets quoting him on his verified Twitter handle.

It was observed that some of the tweets quoted him as saying he would not arrest or detain Peter Obi, which was not part of his actual statement.

A screenshot showing some of the Twitter posts retweeted by El-Rufai.

The Spokesman for APC 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, also posted the viral video of El-Rufai’s statement on his verified Twitter handle.

 

However, El-Rufai, who was the Deputy National Secretary of the APC at the time and who went to Anambra state to support the party’s governorship candidate, Chris Ngige, had earlier claimed that authorities from Abuja were responsible for his alleged arrest.

In an interview granted after the alleged arrest, El-Rufai said, “I left my hotel room to go eat, to have breakfast and I was blocked by three SSS officials holding AK-47, threatening me that they have directives from Abuja to restrict me to my room”.

He condemned the alleged act and further threatened to approach the court of law over the development.

“I tried to leave the hotel at about 3 pm and they blocked the entrance to the hotel. They stopped everyone coming in and out. There are journalists from Radio France that came to interview me. They chased them away. These people are uncivilised, they are savages. But these are matters for the law,” El-Rufai added.

A Tweep, Adetutu Balogun, MBA via her Twitter handle @Tutsy22, who referred to the interview, called El-Rufai a “compulsive liar”.

El-Rufai, who later reacted to Balogun’s tweet, claimed that Peter Obi later admitted that he was behind the alleged arrest.

 

Meanwhile, in an interview with Arise TV, Peter Obi queried the claim by El-Rufai as he said he had no authority over the Police and SSS as the then governor of Anambra State.

Obi, who granted the interview when he was contesting as a Vice President on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said, “As a sitting governor, I have never, on election day, go and arrest anybody in Anambra State.

“El-Rufai came to Anambra on election day and said he wants to move around the local governments, the State Security Services said you cannot move around; not even the governor is allowed to move around.”

Obi said the Agency had told El-Rufai to remain in his hotel for his safety.

He further explained that when he was asked to speak to the issue in an interview, he said, ” I Peter Obi wouldn’t want to be in Kaduna for the same reasons on an election day.”

In Obi’s latest reaction to the comment made by El-Rufai, he reiterated that he couldn’t have ordered the said arrest.

According to him, he had no power over SSS officials controlled by Nigeria’s federal government.

Obi queried how the incident El-Rufai’s referred to was connected to bigotry, cautioning on the need to avoid reckless speeches and utterances that could divide and destroy the country.

According to Obi, the Anambra State police commissioner at the time was from Adamawa State, and the AIG was from Nasarawa State.

He said the GMD that was planning for the election was from Kano, adding that there was no way he could have ordered the arrest of El-Rufai.

Findings by The FactCheckHub revealed that the SSS and the Attorney-General of the Federation were the respondents in the lawsuit filed by El-Rufai to contest his detention at the Finotel hotel in Awka, Anambra State.

In the ruling delivered on Monday, September 29, 2014, a court sitting in Awka ordered the SSS to publish an apology in two national dailies and pay El-Rufai N2 million in damages for the detention.

The court described El-Rufai’s arrest as an unlawful and unconstitutional violation of his liberty.

Justice Ibrahim Bature Gafai held that the SSS had no statutory powers under any Nigerian law to detain El-Rufai without cause to a court of competent jurisdiction.

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