By Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition
The Osun State 2026 Governorship Election kicks off Saturday morning as voters cast their ballots to elect the next governor for the Southwestern Nigerian state.
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 the gubernatorial poll.
CLAIM 1
An X user, @Boripe_, claimed (archived here) that APC thugs carted away election materials in Ada, Boripe LGA, Osun State.
FINDINGS:
The Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) contacted the Osun INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, who said she had not received any report of such an incident. We also contacted the state’s Commissioner of Police in charge of election security, CP Samuel Erale Etaifo, who said there had been no such report.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: Osun INEC REC and Osun CP Election
DATE: 15/08/2026
AUTHOR: Catherine Adeniyi
EDITOR(S): Lois Ugbede & Simbiat Bakare
CLAIM:2
An X user, @abdulmojeed_ola, claimed (archived here) that Osun State Governor, Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, has agreed to collapse his Accord Party structure to support the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salam.
The same claim (archived here) was also shared by a user, Amb Olamide Afolabi Ayofe on Facebook
FINDINGS
A check of the Facebook page of Governor Adeleke’s Imole campaign council showed that it has not yet issued a statement regarding the claim.
No reputable news organisation reported this development. The NFC’s observer in Osun State, David Ajikobi, confirmed that the governor has voted for his party, Accord, adding that this means that Adeleke did not collapse his structure into the ADC.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: The Imole Campaign Council Facebook Page and NFC Observer,
DATE: 15/08/2026
AUTHOR: Pascal Ibe
EDITOR(S) Bamas Victoria & Simbiat Bakare
CLAIM: 3
An X user asserts (archived link) that 146 suspected imported thugs were arrested at an Osun lawmaker’s residence.
FINDINGS:
According to media outlets, the voters were reportedly carrying newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and were said to be camped at the residence of Hon. Abiola Ibrahim, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing the Irewole-Isokan Constituency.
According to Punch Newspapers, the Osun State Police Command confirmed the arrest of Hon. Abiola Ibrahim in connection with the incident. They also reported that 146 suspects were arrested.
VERDICT: CORRECT!
SOURCE: Leadership Newspapers, Daily Post, Punch
DATE: 15/08/2026.
AUTHOR: Lademi Aborisade
EDITOR(S) Bamas Victoria & Simbiat Bakare
