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Peter Obi on sick bed? Image is AI-generated

Nurudeen Akewushola
Nurudeen Akewushola
Reading Time: 2 min.
Screenshot of the viral post

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A photograph purportedly showing the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, lying in a hospital bed with a neck brace has circulated on social media alongside a claim that he broke his neck.

The image was shared on X by a user, Ogb​​eni Oluya (@oluyanimi), with the caption: “Omo see Obidiot mesuyah o! Peter Obi dey hospital with broken neck because e try repeat PBAT 2022 cycling video.”

The post also features a short video of Tinubu riding a stationary bicycle, alongside the purported hospital photograph of Obi.

CLAIM

Peter Obi broke his neck while attempting to replicate President Bola Tinubu’s cycling exercise and was subsequently hospitalised.

Screenshot of the viral post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

To establish the authenticity of the photograph, The FactCheckHub subjected it to analysis using three AI-detection tools: ZeroGPT, Is It AI and Hive Moderation.

ZeroGPT, an online tool that analyses digital content to estimate whether it was generated by artificial intelligence, returned a 99 per cent probability that the photograph was AI-generated.

Result from Zero Gpt

Similarly, Is It AI, an AI image-detection tool designed to assess whether images are artificially generated, also identified the photograph as AI-generated.

A further analysis using Hive Moderation, a content moderation platform that provides AI-detection tools for identifying synthetic images and other media, also classified the photograph as AI-generated.

The results from the three detection tools indicate that the photograph is synthetic and should not be treated as genuine photographic evidence of Obi receiving medical treatment.

The FactCheckHub also found no credible evidence that Obi sustained a neck injury or was admitted to a hospital.

In an interview with The PUNCH published on 2 November 2026, Obi’s spokesman, Idris Zekeri, dismissed the report, describing the circulating photographs as fabricated.

“There is zero iota of truth in that rumour. No such thing happened,” Zekeri said.

He explained that he was with Obi at about 7 a.m. on Sunday, 1 November, before the former Anambra State governor boarded a flight for an international engagement. He also insisted that Obi was in good health.

The post therefore combines an AI-generated photograph of Obi in a hospital bed with a separate video of Tinubu exercising on a stationary bicycle to create the impression that the NDC presidential candidate suffered a serious injury while attempting to imitate the president.

VERDICT

The claim that Peter Obi broke his neck while attempting to replicate Tinubu’s cycling exercise and was hospitalised is FALSE. The photograph purporting to show him receiving treatment is AI-generated, and his spokesman has dismissed the alleged injury as false.

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Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.

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