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2023 Election: Nigerian military warns politicians, social media handlers against disinformation

Nurudeen Akewushola
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2023 Election: Nigerian military warns politicians, social media handlers against disinformation

NIGERIA’s Defence Headquarters has warned politicians and their social media handlers to desist from misusing images and visuals of military personnel to campaign and promote their interests.

The warning followed the circulation of two viral video clips circulating on social media, depicting military personnel singing and dancing in support of a presidential candidate while denigrating another in the second video.

READ: Ndume makes false claim about Nigeria’s military strength

According to the DHQ, this not only presents the armed forces in a bad light but can also sow seeds of distrust and instability.

A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Jimmy Akpor, said the videos sent a disturbing signal to members of the public and the political class, as the clips connoted partisanship by military personnel and, by extension, the entire military establishment.

It said the two video clips were manipulated to give a false impression that the military was partisan.

“The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to two videos circulating online. The first video clip consciously portrays troops making merry and dancing to music, purportedly in celebration and open endorsement of one presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections.

“The second video clip (with the same visuals as the first one) willfully shows troops supposedly dancing to a derogatory song that insults the personality of another presidential candidate.

“On face value, the videos send a disturbing signal to members of the public and the political class in particular, as the videos seemingly connote partisanship by military personnel and by extension, the entire military establishment.

“On closer scrutiny, however, it is obvious that the original visual content (which was used for the two videos) was manipulated to produce the current ones in circulation. The original soundtrack of the videos was a usual morale-boosting song that soldiers sing during military exercises or activities,” it said.

ALSO READ: Skit video showing EFCC officials being harassed by military personnel goes viral

The statement maintained that specific individuals, who were unknown presently, took the video and superimposed different songs on the visuals, which soon went viral, thereby creating the impression that soldiers were promoting the candidacy of a particular politician while disapproving of another.

“While it is within the right of individuals to create media content for political purposes, it is grossly disingenuous to appropriate video of military activity and use same to create contents that portray the military as partisan, political and unprofessional.

“This is particularly despicable as the nation prepares for the 2023 general elections. For 23 years since 1999, the military has toiled night and day to protect and keep guard over Nigeria’s democracy. Thus, the same military cannot afford to be partisan or commit to any enterprise that would create disharmony in the polity,” the statement added.

Defence Headquarters, therefore, warned media handlers and supporters of political parties to desist from doing such as the 2023 polls gather momentum.

“In the light of the foregoing, the Defence Headquarters seriously frowns at the deliberate attempt to misrepresent it and wishes to caution media and public relations handlers as well as supporters of political parties to desist from misusing images and visuals of military personnel as this does not only present the Armed Forces of Nigeria in a bad light, but it could also sow seeds of distrust and instability.

“There is, therefore, the need to be circumspect while copy-writing, never to use military personnel, their activities, uniforms or accoutrements as the main themes or for illustration of the main message in political advertisements or any such productions. Defaulters would henceforth be fished out and made to face the wrath of the law,” it stated.

Tinubu makes inaccurate claims about Nigeria’s crude oil production, pricing in 2015

Editorial
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Tinubu makes inaccurate claims about Nigeria’s crude oil production, pricing in 2015

By Philip Shimnom Clement

 

THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recently stated that Nigeria’s oil production under the previous government was 400,000 barrels per day before President Muhammadu Buhari took over as the nation’s president in 2015.

He started this while speaking at the launch of the women’s team of the APC presidential campaign.

READ: Akpabio repeats false claim about Lagos IGR under Tinubu 

He also told the APC women’s wing to tell Nigerians calling for a change of government to “shut up”.

Tinubu, who is considered a ‘frontline’ contender in the 2023 general elections, said he would consolidate Buhari’s achievements if elected to office.

He said Nigerians seeking a change of government had forgotten the country’s situation before President Buhari assumed office, adding that he would put an end to banditry if elected president in 2023.

“If they say they want a change of government, just tell them, we will like to be polite, but shut up your mouth.

“In the last eight years, even as a party that inherited a troublesome nation under the weight of uncertainty, we preached change of government which God has changed.

“Buhari took over, he took over the lowest production of 400,000 barrels of oil, the worst pricing; but still, the very determined and focused person was able to bail out even 36 states of this country who are not able to pay salary, people who are living in hunger – give him a bravo,” Tinubu said.

CLAIMS

  1. That Nigeria’s oil production was 400,000 barrels per day before President Muhammadu Buhari took over as president in 2015.
  2. That Nigeria had the worst pricing for crude oil produced before Buhari’s government in 2015.

THE FINDINGS

Checks by Daily Trust show that the claims by Tinubu in the period under review are INACCURATE.

Data from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) shows that Nigeria recorded an average oil production of 2.05 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2011; 1.9 million bpd in 2012; 1.7 million bpd in 2013; and 1.8 million bpd in 2014.

ALSO READ: Photo of Obi in handshakes with Tinubu is FAKE!

Similarly, Nigeria’s average annual price of crude oil in 1999 was about $17.4 per barrel. It rose to $27.6 in 2000, dropped to $23.1 in 2001, and maintained a slight increase in 2002($24.3), 2003($28.1) and in 2004(36.5) respectively, data from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as quoted by Statista, a data analysis platform showed.

The data revealed that oil sold for $50.5 per barrel in 2005, $61 in 2006, $69 in 2007, $94.1 in 2008, $60.8 in 2009 and in 2010, the oil price was $77.3. In 2011, the average annual price of oil had gotten to a record high of $107 per barrel, increasing to $109 per barrel in 2012, $105.8 in 2013 and touched $96.2 in 2014 and partly in 2015 before President Buhari took over.

This clearly shows that President Buhari didn’t take over a government with the worst oil production pricing as claimed by Tinubu.

Also, OPEC data shows the highest price ever paid for crude oil was between June and July 2008, when a barrel of crude oil was sold for around $130 to $147, although the average crude oil price in 2008 ended up being $94.45 per barrel.

Background

Although Nigeria earns huge amounts of money from crude oil sales, fuel subsidy payment has done more harm than good to its revenues.

As it stands, Nigeria does not have an accurate figure on how many litres are consumed by citizens as the figures quoted range between 50 million litres per day to around 103 million litres.

Findings show that Nigeria spent N758.1 billion to cater for the cost of petroleum shortfall in the first quarter of 2022.

According to media reports, Nigeria incurred a subsidy cost of N210.3 billion in January 2022, N219.783 billion in February, and N328.004 billion in March.

Analysts have argued that the subsidy cost denies the country value that could have accrued from higher oil prices.

The Petroleum Industry Act 2021 (PIA 2021), although suspended for now to accommodate subsidy payments from now till June 2023, is reported to be the game changer in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

THE VERDICT

The claims by Tinubu that Nigeria recorded 400,000 barrels per day and the worst crude oil prices before President Buhari took over are INACCURATE.

 

This report was written by Daily Trust, and republished by The FactCheckHub as part of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition initiative. See the original piece here.

Charly Boy shares misleading photo of Tinubu watching Peter Obi on TV

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Charly Boy shares misleading photo of Tinubu watching Peter Obi on TV

NIGERIAN music artiste, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, has tweeted a photo showing the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, watching his counterpart from the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on a television screen.

He tweeted the photo on Saturday, October 8, 2022, following the arrival of Tinubu on Thursday after spending weeks in the United Kingdom.

“Welcome home my bro, this is the man to watch,” Charly Boy tweeted on its verified Twitter handle, @areafada1.

READ: Charly Boy’s tweet about INEC discontinuing electronic transmission of results is FALSE

The tweet has garnered more than 1,000 retweets and over 7,000 likes as of noon on October 10, 2022.

CLAIM

That photo shows Bola Tinubu watching Peter Obi on television.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

Using Google Reverse Image Search, checks revealed that the photo has been manipulated. 

The original photo shows Bola Tinubu staring at a TV screen.

The original image shows Tinubu in an aeroplane staring at a TV screen on his way from the United Kingdom to Nigeria. However, there was nothing showing on the screen.

This is not the first time that Charly Boy has shared misleading claims online.

The FactCheckHub had earlier reported how he shared a misleading video with a claim that it shows Peter Obi’s supporters in boats holding a campaign rally in riverine areas. When The FactCheckHub subjected the video to verification, it revealed that the claim was FALSE.

ALSO READ: Photo of Obi in handshakes with Tinubu is FAKE!

The FactCheckHub also reported how he made a false claim about the electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

THE VERDICT 

The photo shared by Charly Boy on Saturday is MISLEADING; findings revealed that the photo has been manipulated.

Tinubu shares misleading photo amidst failing health speculation

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Tinubu shares misleading photo amidst failing health speculation

THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has shared a photo of himself holding a newspaper amid speculations that the former Lagos Governor was receiving medical attention in the United Kingdom.

Recall that following Tinubu‘s absence from several political functions in the country recently, he was rumoured to be sick and hospitalized in London.

Media reports as seen here, here, here, and here indicated that Tinubu returned to Nigeria on Thursday evening, October 6, 2022.

READ: Akpabio repeats false claim about Lagos IGR under Tinubu 

However, the APC 2023 presidential candidate had earlier, in an effort to debunk the speculation, posted a video of himself having a workout session to show that he is hale and hearty via his official Twitter handle, @OfficialABAT. The FactCheckHub found out that one of the videos in circulation was an old video, which has been on the internet since 2013.

In the photo Tinubu posted on his verified Twitter handle on Thursday morning, he appeared in a suit and sat on a chair reading a copy of The Nation newspaper.

The caption on the image reads:

“Staying focused

#BAT23

The same photo was also posted on his verified Instagram handle, @officialasiwajubat here and his official Facebook page here.

Screenshot of the photo posted on Tinubu's Instagram page.
Screenshot of the photo posted on Tinubu’s Instagram page.

The photo has since garnered over 3,000 retweets, over 2,900 quote tweets and over 21,000 likes on Twitter.

Similarly, it has over 11,000 likes on Instagram alongside over 1,300 comments as of early Friday.

Earlier on Thursday morning, his son, Seyi Tinubu, shared photos of Tinubu playing with his grandchildren. According to Seyi Tinubu, the pictures were taken last Sunday.

But, is the photo recent?

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the photo is MISLEADING.

A closer look at the copy of the newspaper held by Tinubu in the photo shows that it is an old copy of The Nation Newspaper published on January 23, 2022.

Screenshot of The Nation newspaper’s front page published on January 23, 2022.

For instance, the front-page headline: “2023 Presidency: PDP governors close ranks, move to corner ticket” seen on the newspaper being held by Tinubu was published by The Nation on its website on January 23, 2022.

ALSO READ: T.B Joshua: Video of Tinubu criticizing BBC documentary is doctored!

Similarly, the headlines of Buhari’s vow to crush terrorists before expiration of his tenure (archived here) and that of Soot in Niger Delta (archived here) were also published by the newspaper on the same date.

THE VERDICT

The photo shared by Bola Ahmed Tinubu on October 6, 2022, on its verified Twitter handle is MISLEADING.

How misinformation about vaccine safety aids reluctance to vaccinate children in US

Raji Olatunji
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How misinformation about vaccine safety aids reluctance to vaccinate children in US

A recent study has shown how misinformation about vaccine safety influenced the reluctance to vaccinate children in the United States.

The study, titled: “Misinformation about vaccine safety and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among adults and 5-11-year-olds in the United States,” was published in the journal Vaccine, an official journal of the Edward Jenner Society and the Japanese Society for Vaccinology.

The study, carried out by researchers from the Annenberg Public Policy Centre (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania, found that U.S. adult hesitancy to be vaccinated against COVID was associated with misbeliefs about vaccines in general.

READ: Ahmed Isah’s false claims about HPV vaccine go viral in Nigeria

Such misbeliefs include the false impression that vaccines contain toxins like antifreeze.

There are also fears that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism, which was said to be false.

Another impression with no evidence was that the flu vaccine increases the chances of contracting Covid-19.

All these were said to have predicted hesitancy to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11, even among those who had been vaccinated themselves.

The lead author and APPC research director, Dan Romer, said, “All of the misconceptions we studied focused in one way or another on the safety of vaccination, and that explains why people’s misbeliefs about vaccinating kids are so highly related to their concerns about vaccines in general.”

“Unfortunately, those concerns weigh even more heavily when adults consider vaccinating children,” he added.

The study draws on four waves of a national probability survey conducted with more than 1,600 U.S. adults for APPC by an independent research firm, SSRS.

The waves were in April, June and September 2021, and January 2022, while the last wave was conducted several months after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave emergency use authorization to Covid-19 vaccines for 5-11-year-olds in October 2021.

Survey panellists were asked about Covid-19 and vaccine knowledge, beliefs, and behaviours. Full vaccination rates among the panellists ranged from 31% in April 2021 to 71% in September 2021, then rose to 74% by January 2022.

The key question was why an adult who had been vaccinated against Covid-19 would express reluctance to have a 5-11-year-old do the same.

The study’s answer to that was that misinformation about the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine increased the reluctance of even vaccinated adults, including vaccinated parents of children, to recommend Covid-19 vaccination for 5- to 11-year-olds.

That was in addition to general misconceptions about the safety of vaccines and vaccination.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Claims about transmission via water, vaccine death toll fact-checked

FactCheck.org, a project of APPC, has said there is no evidence to validate the claim that Covid-19 vaccines cause infertility.

Claims that the vaccines change the recipient’s DNA and are riskier than contracting Covid-19 were said to be false.

Further claims that Covid-19 vaccines frequently cause allergic reactions and are responsible for thousands of deaths were said not to be evidence-based.

The above claims are Covid-specific misconceptions said to be considered in the study.

In January 2022, only about 55% of survey panellists reportedly said they were “very likely” to recommend vaccinating a child aged 5 to 11. And among parents of a child under the age of 18, the percentage was 44%.

The co-author, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who is also a director at the Annenberg Public Policy Centre, said, “concerns about vaccine safety are clearly a powerful predictor of reluctance to vaccinate oneself and children.”

“It is easy to understand why adults would be particularly concerned about adverse reactions, impacts on the DNA, the potential fertility of children, and the possibility that a vaccine might contain toxins or cause autism. Allaying these unwarranted concerns should be a public health priority,” Jamieson added.

Experience with the Covid-19 vaccines for children indicates that the vaccines protect against hospitalization for more than 20 weeks and can reduce the risk of infection.

The APPC study found less support for the Covid-19 vaccination of children among Black and Hispanic respondents, evangelical Christians, Republicans, and women, as well as the parents of children under 18.

This was said to be consistent with other work about adult vaccination hesitancy.

Science Daily reports that as of late September 2022, nearly 78% of U.S. adults but only 31% of children aged 5 to 11 had completed the primary set of vaccinations against Covid-19.

Old video of Tinubu working out goes viral with misleading claim

Raji Olatunji
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Old video of Tinubu working out goes viral with misleading claim

AN old video showing Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Nigeria’s 2023 elections, working out on an automated pedal cycling machine, has resurfaced online with a false claim.

Tinubu had travelled to the United Kingdom on September 24, 2022, to take some rest, his campaign team said.

The sudden trip has since generated speculations on whether Tinubu is medically fit for the presidential race.

READ: Akpabio repeats false claim about Lagos IGR under Tinubu 

His absence in the country at the time the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on campaign activities also generated the #WhereIsTinubu hashtag on social media as his opponents claimed he was badly sick.

To douse the reported speculations over his health status, Tinubu posted a video of himself working out on his verified Twitter handle @officialABAT on Sunday, October 2, 2022.

His caption on the 8-second video, archived here, reads:

“Many have said I have died; others claim I have withdrawn from the presidential campaign.

“Well… Nope.

“This is the reality: I am strong, I am healthy and I am READY to serve Nigerians from Day One.”

While controversies have continued to trail the video, another video of Tinubu was posted on Twitter by Tinubu Support Group @tsg2023 on Monday, October 3, 2022.

The video, archived here, has since garnered over 6,500 views, 128 retweets, 38 quote tweets and 413 likes as of 12noon on Thursday, October 6, 2022.

The caption to the tweet video reads:

“Another one from @officialABAT at his London home this morning.”

CLAIM

Claim that the video shows Tinubu’s workout session at his London home on October 3, 2022.

Tinubu-workout
Screenshot of the tweeted video.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

A keyword search on the veracity of the claim revealed that the video has been on the internet for over 9 years, precisely since 2013 and NOT in October 2022.

The video was uploaded on YouTube by one Gbenga Olorunpomi on September 22, 2013.

The caption to the video read: “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu getting his fitness back.”

The video was also traced to a discussion thread on Nairaland where the video was posted on September 23, 2013.

The topic of the thread reads, “Bola Tinubu shows off on exercise bike to confirm he is well.”

Reports indicated that the footage was released to prove the healthy fitness status of Bola Tinubu following the speculations that he was sick at the time.

ALSO READ: Photo does not show Remi Tinubu presiding over meeting in lieu of President Tinubu

The FactCheckHub had earlier published a series of tutorials on verifying video claims and viral images, including how to verify visuals using frames and how to fact-check viral posts shared via WhatsApp, among others.

It has also posted media literacy articles on how netizens can avoid falling victim to false and misleading information.

THE VERDICT

The claim that the video shows Bola Tinubu’s workout session at his London home on October 3, 2022 is MISLEADING; findings revealed that the video has been on the internet since 2013.

Claim by Lagos APC women leader that Tinubu never spent more than two weeks abroad is FALSE

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Claim by Lagos APC women leader that Tinubu never spent more than two weeks abroad is FALSE

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) women leader in Lagos State, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, has said the presidential candidate of the party in Nigeria’s 2023 polls, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has never spent more than two weeks outside the country.

Mrs. Okoya-Thomas said this on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 during an interview with Arise TV while responding to a question on the whereabouts of Tinubu, which has elicited mixed reactions among Nigerians in recent times following reported speculations about his health status.

“I’m a women leader. He will show up very soon, within the next 48 hours. I know Asiwaju. He has never spent more than two weeks outside. Go and Google. Even my own self, when I’m not well. I quickly run out to take a rest.

READ: Viral video does not show APC national chairman being stripped naked in Nasarawa

“I am not saying he’s not well. I said, my little self here, when I need to rest, I quickly go out. We all go out to rest,” she said.

CLAIM

Claim that Tinubu never spent more than two weeks outside Nigeria.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

Checks revealed that Tinubu spent three months in London, the United Kingdom, in 2021.

According to a statement by his media office, the former governor had surgery on his right knee and underwent physiotherapy following the operation.

READ: How resignation of APC chieftain stirs misinformation online

He spent weeks recuperating, and during that period, he was visited by dignitaries from Nigeria, including President Muhammadu Buhari and some governors such as Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Umar Ganduje (Kano), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), The Punch reported.

THE VERDICT

The claim by the Lagos APC women leader, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, that Bola Ahmed Tinubu has never spent more than two weeks outside the country is FALSE; findings revealed that Tinubu spent three months on medical tourism in the UK in 2021.

Misinformation, disinformation could mar Nigeria’s 2023 elections, CDD warns

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Misinformation, disinformation could mar Nigeria’s 2023 elections, CDD warns

THE Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has said the proliferation of electoral disinformation, misinformation and weaponisation of fake news, pose threat to the legitimacy of Nigeria’s 2023 polls.

CDD’s Executive Director, Idayat Hassan, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

She noted that fake news and disinformation have the potential to fragment the country further and skew the electoral outcome.

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

According to her, this development could play a part in affecting the legitimacy of the elections and the leaders who emerge from the process.

“In line with some of the findings outlined in the analysis, the CDD, therefore, charges political actors to desist from promoting political violence, which is inimical to Nigeria’s development.

“CDD notes that the current nature of campaigning is cause for concern. The period has been dominated by a proliferation of electoral disinformation, misinformation and the weaponisation of fake news.

“This rising trend poses the biggest threat to the peaceful pre- and post-election conduct of the elections.

“In recent years, CDD has increasingly raised concerns on the potentially disruptive influence of disinformation on elections. The Centre has noted the common forms of disinformation in elections include the dissemination of false information to discredit political opponents or to influence voters and the voting process.

“These in addition to the falsification and/or manipulation of contents, polling data, de-legitimisation of electoral institutions, including INEC, the Nigeria Police and other state agencies,” she said.

ALSO READ: 2023 Elections: EU observers list Keyamo, Fani-Kayode as purveyors of fake news

Hassan maintained that the spread and impact of disinformation is a global concern and a threat to the sustainability of democracy globally.

She expressed optimism that the participation of all the 18 registered political parties in the signing of the National Peace Accord shows a commitment by politicians to addressing this issue.

Claim that this photo shows Lagos deputy governor’s son at Obidient rally is FALSE

Editorial
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Claim that this photo shows Lagos deputy governor’s son at Obidient rally is FALSE

By Lanre Olagunju

 

A picture claiming that the son of Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor of Lagos state, participated in the Lagos rally organised by supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, has surfaced online.

On Saturday, October 1, 2022, Obi’s supporters held rallies in several parts of the country, including Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Gombe, Bauchi, and Edo, among others.

The LP supporters held the rally as part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 62nd Independence anniversary, having gained independence on October 1, 1960.

READ: Akpabio repeats false claim about Lagos IGR under Tinubu 

Obafemi Hamzat is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Several posts of a particular man who participated in the Lagos rally have surfaced on social media. Most of the posts claimed that he is the first son of the deputy governor of Lagos.

One of such tweets archived here reads: “Femi Hamzat, Lagos State Deputy Governor’s 1st Son, joins the movement of Obidient. Dude want to be Yusful to himself.”

Screenshot of the tweet.

Tunde Alao, the media aide to the deputy governor of Lagos, has debunked the claim in a statement released on Sunday.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the gentleman in the displayed photograph is neither the Deputy Governor’s son nor his relative,” he said.

ALSO READ: 2023: Partisan politics and online hate speech among journalists

“The viral message is another mischievous, false and malicious attempt to cause friction between the Deputy Governor and his admirers and loyalists across the Nation.

“Dr Hamzat has a reputation of commitment and loyalty to the Sanwo-Olu administration and the All Progressives Congress.”

 

EDITOR’S NOTE:

The headline was updated to reflect the exact photo, while the featured image was changed from that of Obafemi Hamzat to the viral image circulating on social media.

 

This report was written by The Cable, and republished by The FactCheckHub as part of the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition initiative. See the original piece here.

Charly Boy makes false claim about October 1 rally held by Peter Obi’s supporters

Raji Olatunji
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Charly Boy makes false claim about October 1 rally held by Peter Obi’s supporters

NIGERIAN music artiste, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, on Sunday tweeted a footage, claiming that the video shows Peter Obi’s supporters in the riverine areas holding a campaign rally with boats.

In commemoration of Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Day Anniversary, many Nigerians home and abroad had trooped out en mass to show their support for Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The development came days after the official flag-off of campaign activities for the presidential election set to hold in February next year.

The campaign rallies were simultaneously held by Obi’s supporters in several parts of the country, including Lagos, Osun, Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Bauchi, and Abia, among other states.

Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, in the now-deleted video (archived here), made the claim on his verified Twitter handle @AreaFada1 on Sunday, October 2.

His caption, posted alongside the footage, reads:

“The Obidients in the riverine areas showed unparalleled commitment (emojis) their waka no be small thing oo! Even inside water.”

The tweet has since garnered over 32,900 views, more than 1,800 retweets and 3,960 likes as of the time it was retrieved from the microblogging platform.

THE CLAIM

Video shows Peter Obi’s supporters in boats holding a campaign rally in the riverine areas.

Screenshot of the Twitter post by Charly Boy alluding that Peter Obi’s supporters held a campaign rally in riverine areas.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

A keyword search carried out revealed that the video tweeted by Charly Boy was not shot in Nigeria.

The video had been on the internet days before Peter Obi’s supporters, who are popularly referred to as “Obidients” held the campaign rallies on October 1.

Checks revealed that the video was taken during a traditional festival held in Istmina, a municipal town in the Chocó Department, Colombia.

The video was uploaded online here by a TikTok user Arlez Romana on September 25, 2022 with the caption: “Mucha adrenalina para mi gusto #Istmina #Fiestas #Viral” (Translated to mean: A lot of adrenaline for my taste, using Google Translate)”.

Another version of the video shot from a different angle was uploaded here by another TikTok user, Jairmosquera505, on September 26, 2022 alongside these hashtags #Colombia #tiktok #viral #choco and #istmina.

The festival, which saw people on several boats going through the San Juan River of the Istmina municipality, is an annual event where inhabitants come together in the waters to dance and sing.

This year’s fiesta held in September, however, ended in tears as an overloaded raft reportedly broke into two, leaving two persons dead with several others injured.

The FactCheckHub had earlier reported here how Charly Boy made a false claim about the electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

THE VERDICT

The claim by Charly Boy that the video shows Peter Obi’s supporters in boats holding a campaign rally is FALSE; as checks revealed that the footage was shot in September 2022 during an annual traditional festival in a Colombian municipal town called Istmina.

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