A video showing packed portraits and other properties belonging to Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly called MC Oluomo, has surfaced online, with claims that he was evicted from office following a recent judgement by Nigeria’s Appeal Court.
On November 9, 2024, reports emerged that MC Oluomo was elected the president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), allegedly running unopposed for the position.
He was said to have received unanimous support from all delegates during the union’s quadrennial delegate conference for Zone 2, held in Osogbo, Osun State capital.
READ: Osun election: False claim circulates that Gboyega Oyetola wins at Appeal Court
However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja voided the election that led to his declaration as the National President and affirmed Tajudeen Baruwa as the duly re-elected president of the union.
An X user, @chiditweets042 posted the video with a caption that read:
“As Court sack Mc Oluomo dem no waste time throwaway his Belongings from NURTW Office.”
The post has generated over 1,500 reposts and more than 3,000 likes as of November 20, 2024.
Another X user, @dammiedammie35 posted the claim with a similar caption thus:
“After his short lived victory, MC Oluomo’s many portraits and other items cleared out of the office of NURTW National President following his sack by Court of Appeal.”
The post has generated over 700 reposts and more than 3,000 likes as of November 20, 2024.
CLAIM
Video shows properties of MC Oluomo thrown out of NURTW office in Abuja after appeal court judgement.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.
Keyframes from the video were subjected to a Google reverse image search. The results indicate that the video depicts the relocation of MC Oluomo’s belongings from his former office in Agege, Lagos, to his new office in Abuja. Until his recent appointment, he served as the Lagos State Chairman of the NURTW, with an office at the union’s Lagos secretariat.
A review of the Lagos secretariat’s location via Google Map confirmed that the building in the video is indeed the NURTW office in Lagos.
ALSO READ: Doctored image of Peter Obi with MC Oluomo circulates online
In addition, his son, Idowu Akinsanya, better known as King Westt via an Instagram post also clarified that video showed the items being moved from his father’s old office to his new office in Abuja.
“Yall should be wise and smart for once, Immediately a leader leaves office, a successor comes in. So do you expect the president of NURTW to remain in the state office? That’s not possible. All his things are packed out from his former office to his new office. Come to Abuja and you meet us there.. get the address online peeps. Love and light great Nigerians,” he wrote on his Instagram page.
He further shared a clip of people hailing his father on Tuesday as he arrived in Abuja after a trip to the US.
The FactCheckHub notes that a Court of Appeal judgement does not automatically remove someone from office. In similar cases, officials have remained in office while appealing to the Supreme Court, which has the final say. For example, in November 2023, the Court of Appeal sacked Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, but he remained in office until the Supreme Court affirmed his election.
Meanwhile, Oluomo has announced on his Instagram page that he has resumed his duties and is ready to serve as the NURTW president despite the court’s judgement.
He declared that he has resumed with a renewed focus, recharged energy, and a determination to excel, stating he has no time for distractions.
According to him, regardless of the opportunities, successes, or challenges ahead, he is prepared to move forward with a focused and unstoppable mindset.
Another report by Punch newspaper on November 20, 2024 also confirmed that MC Oluomo defied the Appeal court judgement and has assumed office as NURTW president since Tuesday.
THE VERDICT
The claim that the video shows MC Oluomo’s properties being moved out of his new office after the appeal court’s judgement is MISLEADING; checks show that the video revealed when his properties were being moved out from his former Lagos office.
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 [email protected] and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
