AHEAD of the Osun State 2026 Governorship Election slated for Saturday, August 15, 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 to debunk election-related misinformation and disinformation content targeted at causing voter apathy, inciting violence or influencing the outcome of gubernatorial poll.
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Claim 1
On August 13, 2026, Christopher Imumolen, in a video (archived here), claimed that the Accord Party has withdrawn support for its gubernatorial candidate, Ademola Adeleke and endorsed the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
FINDINGS
The Guardian and Premium Times identified Imumolen as the “factional national chairman” of the Accord Party, whose faction has withdrawn support for Governor Adeleke ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
However, Punch reported that the Accord Party has dismissed Imumolen’s claim of endorsement of the APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. The party also dismissed Imumolen’s description as a factional leader, stating that it has no faction.
Additionally, the current national party Chairperson of the Accord Party, recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is Maxwell Mgbudem. The Accord Party’s official website also mentions Mgbudem as its national chairperson.
VERDICT: MISLEADING.
SOURCE: INEC, Accord Party’s website, Premium Times, Punch
DATE: 13/8/2026
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Cole Praise
EDITORS: Lois Ugbede, Bamas Victoria & Simbiat Bakare.
CLAIM 2
On Aug. 13, 2026, barely 48 hours before the 2026 Osun governorship election, an X user, @OurFavOnlineDoc, posted a video (archived here) showing a woman distributing cash to residents, with a claim that it shows the wife of an APC candidate sharing money with women to buy their votes.
FINDINGS
NFC checks show that the woman in the video is Maryam Wadada, the wife of Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Nasarawa State.
According to Nasarawa Eye, a local media outlet that reported the exercise, the video shows the distribution of N50,000 each to women in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State as part of an empowerment programme supported by Senator Wadada.
Speaking at the event, Maryam said the money was intended to help the beneficiaries grow their businesses, support their children and become self-reliant.
However, there is no evidence that the money was distributed specifically to induce voters. Although the timing of the intervention may raise questions, available evidence shows the exercise is a women’s empowerment programme rather than voter inducement.
Source: Nasarawa Eye
VERDICT: MISLEADING
Date: 14/08/2026
Author: Nurudeen Akewushola
Editors: Bamas Victoria, Lois Ugbede, & Simbiat Bakare.
CLAIM 3
An X user shared a video (archived link) claiming that an Osun entrepreneur was seen sharing rice with residents while urging them to vote for the APC
FINDINGS
The Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition conducted an image search on the video and found that the earliest version dates to Aug 11, 2026. In the video posted by ROOTS TV, the entrepreneur was identified as Falilat Yusuf, popularly known as Ero Arike, a famous grassroots mobilizer for the All Progressives Congress (APC). She was filmed distributing rice to residents while urging them to vote for the APC candidate in the forthcoming Osun governorship election. Punch Newspaper also reported the event.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCE: ROOTS TV, PUNCH Newspaper
DATE: 14/08/2026
AUTHOR: Lademi Aborisade
EDITOR(S): Lois Ugbede
CLAIM 4
Nigeria Newsdesk, in a post on X, claimed that the Nigerian Police Force had announced a statewide restriction on vehicular movement from midnight ahead of the Osun governorship election on Saturday, 15 August 2026.
FINDINGS: Reports from TVC News confirm that the Nigerian Police Force in Osun State announced a statewide restriction on vehicular movement from midnight on Friday. The restriction exempts voters and people on special or security duties. The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu said the measure was introduced to enhance security during the election.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCE: TVC News, The Guardian
DATE: 14/08/2026
AUTHOR: Rebecca Ogungbure
EDITOR(S): MOTUNRAYO JOEL AND OPEYEMI KEHINDE
