Recognising Nigeria’s vulnerability to fake news, the NFC’s proactive measures are crucial in ensuring voters are accurately informed and not swayed by false narratives.
To uphold electoral integrity, the Nigerian Factcheckers Coalition (NFC) introduced live fact-checking for the Ondo State 2024 election. This initiative aims to counter misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda that undermine Nigeria’s electoral process.
The NFC comprises three signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) Network—Africa Check, FactCheckHub, and Dubawa, as well as other partners including the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Digital Africa Research Lab, Daily Trust, TheCable, Premium Times, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), FactsMatterNG and Round Check. They seek to promote fact-based campaigns, curb election-related violence, enhance voter education, and support a free and fair election by verifying real-time political claims.
Claim
A Facebook page. ElEtv 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.
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Verdict: Correct
The NFC found several news reports from November 13 stating that the Court of Appeal had disqualified Ebiseni, despite a prior court order to recognize him as a Labour Party [LP] candidate. LP denies this and INEC lists LP with a “Court order” but keeps its logo on the ballot. Tope Akanmu, the Assistant Director of Voters Education for INEC in Ondo State refused to comment on it but noted that the ballot paper carries the party’s logo, so the party remains in the governorship race.
Source: Daily Trust, Punch Newspaper and INEC
Claim
An X handle, @ONDO4LUCKY, claimed that over 2 million voters in Ondo state will decide who becomes their next governor.
Verdict: Correct
The NFC found several reports quoting Ms Oluwatoyin Babalola, the Ondo state’s Resident Electoral Commission (REC) chairperson, stating that 2,053,061 registered voters would participate in the forthcoming governorship poll.
During the election preparations, the State REC disclosed this at the Commission’s Headquarters in Akure on Oct. 5, 2024.
Source: PUNCH and Daily Trust
Claim
In a campaign tweet, an X user, @KolaDernolaHQ, claimed that Ondo state contributes 12 per cent of Nigeria’s oil and gas.
Verdict: Incorrect
According to the 2023 annual report by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Ondo State’s crude oil/condensate production was 12.203.666 barrels. Its gas production was 36,558,160 Mscf, contributing approximately 3.36% to Nigeria’s total crude oil/condensate production of 363.381,639 barrels Consequently, Ondo State contributes 1.92% to the nation’s total gas production of 1905.828 426 Mscf in 2023
Source: Annual report of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission
Claim
According to Egalitarian Voice Media and Enterprises, PDP deputy governorship candidate Mr Festus Akingbaso claimed that thugs invaded Idanre Local Government Area during the ongoing governorship election.
Verdict: Unproven
An Arise news report published on Nov. 13, 2024, claimed that thugs had invaded Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, causing mayhem in the neighbourhood. The state police commissioner, Abayomi Oladipo, has ordered an immediate investigation.
However, reacting to the allegation that thugs again invaded Idanre LGA on election day, Odunlami Ibukun, Police Public Relations Officer, Ondo State Police Command said she was unaware of the attack and that there were police officers on the ground Idanre LGA. She added that they were instructed to report any attack. She said: “So far, we have not received any report, but we will investigate the matter.”
Source: Ondo State Police PRO, Odunlami Ibukun
Claim
An X user, @Jersada94, claimed that the Ilaje local government has the second-highest number of voters in Ondo State.
Verdict: Correct
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the latest upload of the voters’ register list for the Ondo gubernatorial election 2024, as seen on the website, shows that Akure has 314,709 registered voters, followed by Ilaje with 146,426 and Owo with 143,751, respectively.
Source: INEC
Claim
An X user, @TheoAbuAgada, claimed that the Labour Party (LP) is not included in the Ondo governorship election ballot paper.
Verdict: INCORRECT
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo confirmed that the Labour Party (LP) was included on the ballot for Saturday’s Ondo governorship election, with all political parties verifying their correct logos beforehand. ICIR journalist, Alex Ehime, who is monitoring the election in Ondo state, also confirmed LP’s inclusion. Additionally, in compliance with a court order, INEC restored Mr. Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus as the LP candidate, replacing Mr. Olusola Ebiseni.
Sources: INEC Ondo, Mildrate Okay (a voter), ICIR & 2024 Ondo governorship ballot.
Claim
An X user, @Naijassador, has claimed that 1.7 million registered voters will elect a new governor in Saturday’s Ondo State election.
Verdict: Correct
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 2,053,061 voters registered for the elections in Ondo State, while 1,757,205 have collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and are eligible to vote.
Source: INEC
Claim
A TikTok user, @brodabanter_backup_page, claimed three governorship candidates have withdrawn their candidacy for Aiyedatiwa.
Verdict: CORRECT
The NFC found credible news reports from November 14 corroborating the claim. Ebenezer Adeniyan, the chief press secretary (CPS) to the Ondo governor, Aiyedatiwa, confirmed that the candidates had backed the governor. The candidates are Ajibola Falaye of the Accord Party (AP), Jenyo Ataunoko of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), and Olaide Ibrahim, the deputy candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Source: The Cable & The Guardian
Claim
An X user claimed that there were incidents of vote buying in Owo, Ondo state.
Verdict: CORRECT
A report by BBC Pidgin confirmed that the video was captured at Unit 016 Ahmadiyya Grammar School, Owo.
The Cable observer, Fidelis David, noticed that voters were displaying their ticked ballot papers.
Another observer, Ayodele Oluwafemi told the NFC that while he could not see voters given cash physically, he observed that voters were given a piece of paper after they had voted which they’ll use to collect money later on.
Source: Independent observers, INVID, BBC Pidgin
Claim
An X user, @JBAdamu claimed that 34,000 police officers were deployed for Ondo Election
Verdict: CORRECT
During an interview with Channels TV, the deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) coordinating election security, Abiodun Alabi, disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force deployed 34,000 police officers for Saturday’s off-cycle gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
Source: The Cable, Channels TV
Claim
A Facebook user, Gbenga Fasole Ilutitun, claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) result in the recently concluded Ondo governorship election is the worst the party ever experienced in the state.
Verdict: CORRECT
In the November 16 Ondo 2024 governorship election, the PDP had 23% (117,845) of the 18 LGAS in the state. In previous elections, the PDP had performed fairly better than this.
In the 2020 election, the PDP candidate had 34.2% (195,791). In 2016, PDP got 27.28% (150, 380), while in 2012, PDP got 24.97% (155, 961) to LP’s 41.75% (260,199). The PDP candidate emerged as the winner in 2003 and 2007, though the PDP candidate in 2007 was later sacked via a court order. The party was formed in 1998.
Source: Stears, Vanguard, PulseNG etc.
