By Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition.
VOTERS in Ondo State go to the poll tomorrow to elect their governor amidst surge in information ecosystem about the state’s 2024 Governorship Election.
Our team of journalists, researchers, fact-checkers, social media monitors, editors, and OSINT experts are on ground at the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition’s (NFC) Election Situation Rooms located in Abuja and Lagos, to debunk election-related misinformation and disinformation content targeted at causing voter apathy, inciting violence or influencing the outcome of election in the state.
READ: Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition vows to tackle misinformation during Ondo 2024 election
Do you have an election-related claim you want us to fact-check?
Reach the NFC via WhatsApp here.
Look out for our Election Day LIVE-CHECKS tomorrow.
This page is constantly being updated with verified checks. Kindly scroll downward to read them.
Here are the fact-checks:
Claim 1
CLAIM: An X user, @AsEdeyhappen001, recently shared a video claiming to show an elderly woman chasing APC members with a cutlass during an APC election campaign in Ondo state. The post added the tag #asedeyhappen, meaning— as it is currently happening.
THE FINDINGS: A reverse image search of keyframes in the video shows it has been shared across multiple social media platforms with the same narrative, with the earliest appearing yesterday, November 14, 2024. However, the video lacks clear context, such as location or campaign details, making the claim unverifiable.
VERDICT: UNPROVEN
SOURCES: OSINT, Google Lens
Claim 2
CLAIM: A Facebook page, EIEtv, has claimed that the Court of Appeal in Abuja has removed Olusola Ebiseni as the Labour Party’s candidate in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election.
THE FINDINGS: The NFC found several news reports from November 13, 2024 stating that the Court of Appeal had disqualified Ebiseni, despite the Federal High Court of Abuja ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the Labour Party’s (LP) candidate.
The LP has, however, called the disqualification of its candidate a lie. Ebiseni, during an interview on Channels Television, says the governorship race is between his party and the All Progressives Congress (APC), suggesting his candidacy.
However, in an updated list of candidates published by the INEC, the LP’s candidates’ names are marked in red with the remark “Court Order.”
Tope Akanmu, the Assistant Director of Voters’ Education for INEC in Ondo State, refused to comment on whether Ebiseni remains the party’s flagbearer saying “it’s a judiciary matter.” However, he noted that the ballot paper carries logos of political parties involved, including LP, thus indicating that the party remains part of the governorship race.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: Daily Trust, PUNCH and INEC
Claim 3
CLAIM: An X handle, @ONDO4LUCKY, claimed that over 2 million voters in Ondo state will decide who becomes their next governor.
THE FINDINGS: The NFC found multiple media reports quoting Ms Oluwatoyin Babalola, the chairperson of Ondo state’s Resident Electoral Commission (REC), stating that 2,053,061 registered voters would participate in the Ondo governorship poll.
The State REC disclosed this at the Commission’s Headquarters in Akure on Oct. 5, 2024, during the election preparations.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: PUNCH and Daily Trust
LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST: How voters can avoid falling victims to election misinformation
Claim 4
MUST READS:
- Fact-checking Ajayi’s claims at the Ondo 2024 gubernatorial debate
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Fact-checking Aiyedatiwa’s claims at the Ondo 2024 gubernatorial debate
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#EdoDecides2024: Voters go to poll today amid surge in misinformation (LIVE-CHECK)
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- LIVE-CHECK: Nigeria’s 2023 Governorship and State Assembly Elections
- LIVE-CHECK: Collation of Votes for Nigeria’s 2023 Governorship and State Assembly Elections ongoing (UPDATED)
*This fact-check report was jointly researched and written by members of the Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC): Nurudeen Akewushola, Muritala Abdullahi, Fatimah Quadri (FactCheckHub); Elizabeth Ogunbamowo, Cole Praise, Lateef Sanni, Lademi Aborisade, Philip Anjorin, Silas Jonathan, Sunday Awosoro, Mohammed Taoheed, Asiat Jimoh (Dubawa); Catherine Adeniyi, Motunrayo Joel, Allwell Okpi, Adelola Semilore, Denzel Amobi, Muktar Balogun and Precious Ewuji (Africa Check); Caleb Ijioma, Balogun Abosede Mufutiat, Quadri Yahya, Agbelusi Samuel (RoundCheck); Orji Ruth (NatureFacts); Claire Mom (The Cable); Faruk Shuaibu (Daily Trust); Kamal Idress (WikkiTimes); Hannah Ajakaiye, Victor Odion, Efemena Ighofose (FactsMatterNG); Pascal Ibe, Adisa-Jaji Azeez, Salihu Shola Taofeek and Blessing Otoibhi (ICIR); and Rosemary Ajayi (Digital Africa Research Lab).
It was edited and approved for publication by Simbiat Bakare, Lois Ugbede (Dubawa), David Ajikobi (Africa Check), Ajibola Amzat (CCIJ), and Opeyemi Kehinde (FactCheckHub) and Bamas Victoria (ICIR).
