The Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NCF), has commenced a live fact-checking of claims ahead of the Nov. 16, 2024, Ondo State governorship election.
With the live fact-check, we will verify false or misleading information shared about the election across platforms. Below are the claims:
Note that this is being constantly updated for more checks.
FactChecks below 👇
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.
FINDINGS: A reverse image search of keyframes in the video shows it has been shared across multiple social platforms with the same narrative, with the earliest appearing yesterday, November 14. However, the video lacks clear context, such as location or campaign details, making the claim unverifiable.
VERDICT: Unproven
SOURCES: OSINT, Google Lens
DATE: 15/11/2024
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Catherine Adeniyi
EDITORS: Simbiat Bakare & Opeyemi Kehinde
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.
FINDINGS: The NFC found several news reports from November 13 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, INEC Ondo, refused to comment on whether Ebiseni remains the party’s flagbearer because it’s a judiciary matter. However, he noted that the ballot paper carries party logos, so the party remains part of the governorship race.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: Daily Trust, PUNCH and INEC
DATE: 15/11/2024
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Muktar Balogun
EDITORS: Simbiat Bakare & Opeyemi Kehinde
CLAIM 3
CLAIM: An X handle, @ONDO4LUCKY, claimed that over 2 million voters in Ondo state will decide who becomes their next governor.
FINDINGS: The NFC found several 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 forthcoming 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
DATE: 15/11/2024
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Salihu, Shola Taofeek
EDITORS: Simbiat Bakare & Opeyemi Kehinde
