The announcement, made at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, quickly drew attention.

While supporters applauded the prospect of receiving thousands of dollars, questions emerged over where such a huge sum would come from, whether Trump has the authority to make the payments, and whether the promise can actually be fulfilled.

With roughly 270 million adults in the United States, the proposed payout could cost the federal government well over $1.3 trillion. Vice President JD Vance has suggested that revenue from Trump’s tariffs could fund the payments, but no detailed funding or implementation plan has been announced.

So, is Trump really offering $5,000 to every American adult? Why is he making the promise, and can the “Trump Dividend” actually become reality?

ROUNDCHECK broke down what was promised, how it might be funded, and what would have to happen before Americans could see any money.

What Exactly Did Trump promise?

Speaking at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas on the night of September 9, 2026, Trump said that if Republicans keep control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the November midterms, he would issue a $5,000 dividend to every adult US citizen.

Trump also said the money would have to be spent inside the United States rather than taken abroad, naming Canada, China, and Germany as examples, though he did not explain how such a rule would be enforced.

This remains a political promise, not an existing government programme. No federal law has been passed creating the payment, and no American has been approved to receive it.

Why Is Trump Making The Offer?

The midterm elections are scheduled for November 3, 2026, and Trump’s Republican Party is fighting to hold on to Congress. Historically, the president’s party tends to lose seats in midterms, and current polling and projections favour Democrats to retake the House, an outcome that would sharply limit what the administration could pass legislatively for the rest of Trump’s term. 

The dividend promise, made on the opening night of the first-ever Republican midterm convention, is widely read as an attempt to energise voters ahead of that risk.

The proposal also lets Trump frame his tariff-driven economic agenda as something that pays ordinary Americans directly, rather than as an abstract trade policy.

Where Would The $5,000 Come From?

Trump has not laid out a funding mechanism. Vice-President JD Vance has pointed to revenue from Trump’s tariffs on imported goods as the likely source, arguing that tariff collections have brought in substantial money that could eventually be returned to Americans as a dividend.

But tariff revenue and money legally available for direct payments are not the same thing.

Tariffs are taxes on imports, and their cost is often passed on to businesses and consumers through higher prices. 

Even sizable tariff collections don’t automatically translate into funds the government can legally distribute as $5,000 checks; that would still require congressional appropriation.

How Much Would The Offer Cost?

At roughly 260 to 270 million adult citizens and $5,000 each, the total comes to somewhere between $1.3 and $1.35 trillion, a figure multiple outlets, including CNBC, have independently put at “more than $1 trillion.”

That makes it far larger than most federal transfer programmes and raises real doubts about whether tariff revenue alone could cover it.

Does Trump Have The Power To Simply Send Americans $5,000?

Congress controls federal spending, so a nationwide payment programme of this size would need congressional authorisation. 

Reactions within Trump’s own party show the divide this creates: Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno publicly endorsed the idea and said he would draft legislation to enact the dividend after the election, while Texas Congressman Chip Roy was openly sceptical, questioning how Republicans would pay for a plan that could cost “well over $1 trillion.” 

Trump himself has not said whether or how he would formally ask Congress to approve it.

Is The Proposal Legal?

US federal law makes it a crime to offer money as an inducement tied to how someone votes, punishable by a fine or up to a year in prison, with willful violations carrying penalties of up to two years.

That has raised questions about whether the dividend pledge could run afoul of election law.

However, Trump’s statement doesn’t explicitly say people must vote for him or Republicans to get the money; his stated condition is that Republicans must win control of Congress, not that any individual voter cast a particular ballot. 

Some legal analysts argue that framing makes it more defensible as a campaign promise about future policy rather than a direct payment for votes. Others aren’t convinced, and CNBC has reported it sought comment from the White House on whether the plan could violate those provisions. 

Ultimately, the legality would likely hinge on how or whether Congress eventually wrote it into law.

Is This The First Time Trump Has Promised Americans Money Like this?

No. This is at least the third time in roughly a year that Trump or his allies have floated a large direct payment funded by tariffs or spending cuts:

Earlier in his second term, Trump backed a “DOGE dividend” of $5,000, an idea originally floated by Elon Musk as a way to return savings from Department of Government Efficiency budget cuts to taxpayers.

Trump said he liked the idea, but it was never implemented.

In November 2025, Trump promised a dividend of “at least $2,000 a person,” funded by tariff revenue, would materialise “in the coming months.” That also never happened.

Separately, more than a million military service members did receive a one-time $1,776 “warrior dividend” in early 2026, but that payment came from a specific, congressionally approved military housing supplement, not a broad tariff dividend, and isn’t really comparable in scale or mechanism.

That track record,  two prior tariff-funded dividend promises at $5,000 and $2,000, neither of which materialised, is the key reason analysts are treating the new $5,000 pledge as unproven until Congress acts.

Why Does Trump Call At A “Dividend”?

Trump and Vance are framing the payment as a return of money generated by tariff policy, comparing it to a company distributing profits to shareholders, rather than describing it as a stimulus check or welfare payment.

That framing ties the payment directly to Trump’s “America First” economic message rather than to pandemic-era-style relief spending.

What Are The Biggest Unanswered Questions?

1. Who exactly qualifies? Trump said “every adult citizen,” but no detailed eligibility rules have been released.
2. Would high-income Americans get it too?
3. How would the money actually be distributed?
4. Would Congress pass the necessary legislation, and would it survive if Democrats win the House?
5. Is tariff revenue actually sufficient to cover $1.3 trillion-plus?
6. Could a payment this large add to inflation or consumer prices?
7. How, if at all, would the government enforce the “must be spent in the US” condition?
8. If approved, when would Americans actually receive the money?

Conclusively, ROUNDCHECK understands that Trump has promised a $5,000 “dividend” to every adult US citizen if Republicans win both chambers of Congress; however, the payment, mode and source of the money aren’t publicly available.

The claim, which had circulated on X, featured an image purportedly showing the front page of a newspaper called The Daily Tribune.

As of September 2, 2026, the post had garnered 209 reposts, 164 quotes, 680 likes, 98,200 views and 90 bookmarks. While many had lifted it and posted it on several social media platforms.

A Facebook user had also shared the same image, claiming that ‘Atiku would compel landlords to stop collecting rent from tenants if he becomes president.’

According to the claim, ‘Atiku would introduce a law prohibiting landlords from collecting rent from tenants and that landlords who violate the proposed law would face up to 10 years in prison.’

However, another X user challenged the authenticity of the claim, describing it as a false statement attributed to Atiku Abubakar.

The claim has gained attention online at a time when housing affordability and rising rental costs remain important concerns for many Nigerians and if left unverified. Such a claim could shape perceptions of Atiku Abubakar’s proposed policies and potentially influence public opinion ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The claim also presents a specific policy proposal and attributes it directly to a major political figure. Such claims require verification, particularly when they circulate widely on social media alongside what appears to be a newspaper report.

Given the potential of the claim to mislead the public about a presidential candidate’s position on housing and rental policy, ROUNDCHECK decided to check further whether Atiku Abubakar actually made the statement attributed to him.

Who is Atiku Abubakar?

Atiku Abubakar is a Nigerian politician, businessman and former Vice President of Nigeria. He was born on November 25, 1946, in Jada, present-day Adamawa State. He is the 2027 Presidential candidate.

He served as Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku has contested the Nigerian presidency several times. Most recently, he was the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election, where he finished second behind Bola Tinubu.

Before rising to prominence in politics, Atiku worked with the Nigeria Customs Service and later ventured into business, with investments spanning education and other sectors. He founded the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, Adamawa State.

ROUNDCHECK Findings 

ROUNDCHECK searched through credible media platforms and Atiku Abubakar’s publicly available statements for evidence that he promised to abolish house rent for Nigerians if elected president in 2027.

The search found no credible report or statement from Atiku in which he promised to stop landlords from collecting rent from tenants or threatened landlords with a 10-year prison sentence for violating such a law.

ROUNDCHECK discovered that Atiku only promised to release Local Government Funds directly if elected president in 2027.

Although newspapers with names similar to The Daily Tribune exist in countries such as the Philippines and Bahrain– not related to Nigeria.

ROUNDCHECK examined the newspaper front-page image used to support the claim and found no credible evidence that The Daily Tribune, as presented in the image, is an existing or verifiable newspaper publication in Nigeria.

Therefore, searches for the newspaper publication, including the alleged report and its attribution to Atiku Abubakar, produced no credible records confirming its authenticity.

In addition, ROUNDCHECK reviewed Atiku’s publicly available policy positions and statements on housing and related economic issues here, here, and here.

While he has discussed issues affecting Nigerians’ living conditions and the economy, no evidence was found linking him to a policy proposal that would completely abolish house rent or criminalise landlords for collecting rent.

ROUNDCHECK also searched Atiku Abubakar’s official social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, and X) and other publicly available sources for the alleged announcement but found no corresponding statement.

The claim therefore appears to be based on an unauthenticated newspaper image rather than a verifiable statement from Atiku Abubakar. The front page of the newspaper looks doctored as a form of propaganda.

A similar popular newspaper daily, Nigerian Tribune has also debunked and distanced itself from the front page headline.

Verdict

The claim is INCORRECT. ROUNDCHECK found no credible evidence that Atiku Abubakar promised to abolish house rent for Nigerians, prohibit landlords from collecting rent, or impose a 10-year prison sentence on landlords if elected president in 2027.

The newspaper image used to support the claim could also not be traced to a verifiable publication or credible report.

On November 8, 2025, the people of Anambra State will head to the polls to elect a new governor. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 16 candidates from different political parties to contest in what promises to be a highly competitive race.

From seasoned politicians and entrepreneurs to first-time contenders, each of the 16 candidates brings their unique experiences and plans for the future of Anambra State.

1. Ukachukwu Nicholas (APC)

Nicholas Ukachukwu is a businessman and politician from Osumenyi, Anambra State. According to his campaign website (archived here), he started his education at Omaigwe Primary School. Afterwards, he moved to Dennis Memorial Grammar School, and eventually to the University of Calabar where he bagged a B.Sc. degree in Business Administration.

He founded SNECOU Group Limited, a business with investments in oil and gas, real estate, construction, agriculture, education, and media. He was a former chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in the FCT and also served in Nigeria’s  House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, representing the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency.

He is currently the governorship candidate for Anambra State under the All Progressives Congress in the 2025 election.

2. Ezenwafor Jude (PDP)

Ezenwafor Jude is a real estate developer and trade consultant who emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) flag-bearer after running unopposed in the party’s primary, where he received unanimous endorsement from 853 delegates across the state.

His career spans key roles in Nigerian politics, including advisory positions to state governors, leadership within political parties, and diplomatic engagements in global trade and investment.

3. Charles Soludo  (APGA)

Charles Soludo, the incumbent governor of Anambra State, is running for a second term under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

He served as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2004 to 2009. Before that, he was the Chief Economic Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo and headed the National Planning Commission as its Director-General from 2003 to 2004. He was also the founding Chairman of the Africa Finance Corporation and has consulted for multiple international organisations.

4. Geoffrey Onyejegbu (NNPP)

Geoffrey Onyejegbu is the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) governorship candidate for the 2025 Anambra State election. He is a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army.

Previously,  he vied for the gubernatorial ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2021 but contested under the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

5. Moghalu Nnadubem (LP)

Moghalu Nnadubem, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, hails from Nnewi, Nnewi North LGA, Anambra State.

His career spans decades, with contributions in both public and private sectors, including as Director General of the Bureau of Cooperatives and Rural Development in Abia State. He was also the Managing Director/CEO of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

Beyond his professional achievements, he founded the Zimuzo Development Foundation.

6. Chukwurah Vincent (SDP)

Vincent Chukwurah is the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Born in 1954 and from Anambra State, Vincent has a general high school diploma.

He contested for Idemili North/ Idemili South seat in the House of Representatives in the 2023 elections under the Social Democratic Party.

7. Onyeze Charles (A)

Onyeze Charles is a philanthropist and politician in Anambra. He was declared unopposed as the candidate of the Accord party during its primary election held at the East End Hotel, Aroma in Awka, Anambra State.

The 54-year-old is running with Ezeadili Appolonia.

8. Nweke Japhet (AA)

Nweke Japheth emerged as the Action Alliance Party’s gubernatorial candidate for Anambra State in the 2025 election. He secured the primaries through an Option A4 voting system and garnered 58 votes from party delegates at the state’s party primary.

He is the chairman/CEO  of Blue Shield Security Company Limited.

9. Ifemeludike Chioma (AAC)

Ifemeludike Chioma is the first of five children and lost her father at a young age. She attended Saint Paul’s Primary School, Township Secondary School, and Saint John’s Secondary School – all in Jos, Plateau State. She studied political science at Anambra State University (now Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University), where she was active in student unionism and civil rights volunteering.

She is the youngest candidate in this gubernatorial election.

10. Nwosu Chuma (ADC)

Chuma Nwosu hails from Oduda, Nnewichi community in Nnewi, Anambra State. He is an economist and computer technologist with over 30 years experience in the private sector. He currently serves as CEO of Jetlink Group Ltd., an ICT firm with regional interests in Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia.

He emerged as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, receiving a certificate of return and selecting Geoffrey Nwobu as his running mate.

11. Otti  Echezona (APM)

Otti Echezona is the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM’s) governorship candidate, with Ezeigwe Chuka Samuel as his running mate. He was confirmed in the final candidate list published by INEC.

The 66-year-old has his first school-leaving certificate, Senior School Certificate Examination, and Higher National Diploma.

12. Nweke  Chukwudubem (APP)

INEC’s finalised list for the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election identifies Nweke Christopher Chukwudubem as the Action Peoples Party (APP) candidate, with Okeke Blessing Ebele as his running mate.

Nweke is currently 44 years old and studied Law.

13. Okeke Jerry (BOOT)

Okeke Jerry was born in Ezinifite, Aguata LGA of Anambra State. He attended Town School and Community Secondary School, Ezinifite. He later studied Civil Engineering at IMT Enugu and Geological Science at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK). He pursued further studies in Linguistics, Law, and Public Administration.

He founded Edumail Publications Ltd. in 2005. This company produces textbooks, storybooks, and educational materials widely used across Nigeria, including by NECO. He has published over 100 storybooks, 20 books, and 25 workbooks.

14. Ndidi Olieh(NRM)

INEC recognised 40-year-old Ndidi Olieh as the National Rescue Movement (NRM) flagbearer for the Anambra governorship election and Ogbe Reginald as her deputy. She is also the Anambra state spokesperson for her party. Her educational qualifications include a first school-leaving certificate, National Examination Council (NECO), and a BSc from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

15. Paul Chukwuma  (YPP)

Paul Chukwuma was born on February 27, 1978, in Ihiala, Anambra State. Paul is married to Fidelia Chukwuma and has six children. He holds a First-Class degree in Philosophy (UNN) and Law, plus a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property & IT Law with Distinction. He is also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School.

He founded a group of companies spanning ICT, real estate, construction, and education, including Olivia University of Medical Sciences in Anambra and Olivia University in Burundi, creating jobs and opportunities across Africa. He has invested in youth empowerment and innovation through scholarships, social programmes, and the Centre for Applied Research & Development (CARD).

16. Martin  Ugwoji (ZLP)

Martin Ugwoji, aged 59, is the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)’s official governorship candidate for the Anambra 2025 election. His deputy running mate is Obi Faith.

He has his first school-leaving certificate and a WAEC qualification.  

Written & edited by Nigeria Fact-Checkers Coalition (NFC) ahead of the Anambra 2025 election.

This claim, seen on X, has gathered 74 reposts, 54 comments, 435 likes, and 64,000 bookmarks (which is a way to privately save posts for later access), as of May 15, 2025.

Also, another X account with 1million followers posted the same claim, stating that Ibrahim Traoré wants to create the United States of Africa, where all African countries will come together as one.  According to the post, there will be one government system, one currency, “Afro Money”, and one African passport.

This claim was also seen on Facebook, with some Facebook users resonating with it.

A user, Claudia Chuo commented that: “To me United States of Africa will not be differentiated from the United States of America. I wish we call it United Nations of Africa. U N A.”

Another user, Ehichioya Asine stated that “This is the true light of Africa and may this wind of change blow through all nations of Africa continually in the name of the lord Jesus. Amen”

Ibrahim Traoré is a Burkinabé military officer and politician who has served as the interim President of Burkina Faso since 2022.

Traoré took control of Burkina Faso in September 2022, ousting interim president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba in a coup d’état.

Ibrahim Traoré has increasingly been admired by Africans and social media users, largely due to waves of viral social media content, some of which has been discovered to be false and AI-generated.

This wave of digital support, however, masks a more complex and concerning reality. While Traoré is celebrated online as a pan-African hero, his regime has been criticised for its authoritarian tendencies and human rights abuses

These contents, often inaccurate or misleading, portray him as a brave reformer who has stood up to Western influence and restored dignity to the Burkina Faso nation. These claims have spread widely on social media such as TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), presenting Traoré as a commendable leader.

Seeing the growing pan-African sentiments, ROUNDCHECK decided to investigate this claim because it could mislead the public on a highly sensitive geopolitical issue and fuel disinformation around pan-African unity.

ROUNDCHECK Findings 

ROUNDCHECK searched through various verified media platforms and noticed there have been no statements from Ibrahim Traoré supporting the broad goal of creating a United States of Africa.

However, his government has expressed support for a potential federation with Mali and Guinea. In September 2023, these three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a grouping primarily focused on addressing security concerns in the region.

While this alliance could be seen as a step towards greater regional integration, it doesn’t explicitly align with the concept of a continent-wide United States of Africa.

ROUNDCHECK discovered that the “Afro Money” mentioned in the claim didn’t come from President Ibrahim Traoré but rather came from a Senegalese artist, Mansour Ciss.

“Afro Money” is an artistic currency project by Mansour Ciss for 14 African nations that used to be French colonies.

Furthermore, the removal of restrictions on the free movement of Africans across the continent has been a key goal of the African Union (AU), which launched the African passport project in 2016.

Although a continent-wide African passport for all citizens doesn’t exist yet, the African Union (AU) has introduced a new passport for its officials and diplomats, but the goal is to eventually make this passport available to all African citizens, enabling visa-free travel across the continent. This, however, is not being pushed by Ibrahim Traoré.

ROUNDCHECK checked the Burkina Faso government website, and nothing related to this claim was found. This also applies to the official government social media handles. (X and Facebook)

Verdict

The claim that President Ibrahim Traore planned to unite African countries into the United States of Africa is FALSE. ROUNDCHECK findings revealed that there is no evidence of such a claim at the time of this report.

This report was done under the Roundcheck Volunteer Network Cohort 4

Claim

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, alleged on X that Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, was accorded a military guard of honour during an event organised by the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network (CADETN) and that firearms were used at the ceremony.

Full Text

On 29 December 2024, a former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, in a press release signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, tweeted a claim on X, along with a video, that a military guard of honour was accorded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, at a programme organised by the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network CADETN in Ogun State.

Atiku also said that the CADETN used military firearms. As of December 31, 2024, the tweet had been reposted by 105 people, with 137 likes and 44 quotes.

Comments under the post showed that some X users believed Atiku’s claims. For instance, North Watch @SalihuIbra60974 commented, “This highly condemnable and unacceptable. The north voted for PBAT not Sheyi. Where was Sheyi when his dad lost Lagos in 2023 general election? Time to stop this abuse so as not to further tarnish our image globally. (sic).” Similarly, Ayo Aluko, CNA commented, “This is a show of shame…Seyi Tinubu isn’t a public officer and should be accorded such whether it is a commissioned cadet or not…it’s an abuse of power.. shameful . (sic)”

However, some X users disagreed with Atiku. Wale Adebayo commented, “Even a partially blind man will know that this is just a paramilitary group. Atiku has remained a loser for years because of the level of reasoning of the people he has surrounded himself with. Smh. (sic).”  Opeyemi Odesola quotes, “Are you saying Atiku is that ignorant to know this ain’t the military? Na this man wan be commander in chief of the Armed forces? (sic).”

Given the vitality of Atiku’s statement and its relevance, we conducted this fact-check.

Findings

Claim 1: Military Honour Was Accorded To Seyi Tinubu

Atiku Abubakar claimed that the Nigeria President’s son, Seyi Tinubu, was accorded a full military honour.

Critical analysis of the video showed that the guard of honour was performed by CADETN, a private youth organization with no affiliation with the military or Armed Forces.

According to CADETN’s official Facebook page, the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network is a voluntary youth organisation established to empower the Nigerian youth through training, mentorship and community service and not a military organisation.

The uniform worn by members of this paramilitary entity is their paramilitary ceremonial dress and can be found here, here and here.

Also, the Nigerian military has debunked the claim that a military guard of honour was accorded  Seyi Tinubu by men dressed in military uniform.

According to Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, the personnel in the video are unknown to the military, stating “They are not our personnel. We don’t dress that way. We don’t have this type of badge of rank. We don’t know them”.

The statement from Gusau can also be found here, here and here.

Similarly, the CADETN’s Corps Commander, J. G. Fatoye in a statement also confirmed that the organisation is a youth uniformed organisation and not a military outfit without any affiliation with the military or Armed Forces.

Fatoye added that the guard of honour was not only accorded to Seyi Tinubu but also to other dignitaries and high-ranking officials, a common ceremonial gesture to welcome dignitaries at its events as a sign of respect and appreciation.

Verdict: INCORRECT

The claim that a military honour was accorded to Seyi Tinubu during the programme organised by CADETN in Ogun State is false. No military regalia was used and the guard of honour was performed by the CADETN, a paramilitary voluntary youth organization not military personnel.

Claim 2: CADETN Used Firearms

Atiku through his press release further claimed that the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network (CADETN) used firearms in the parade shown in the video.

The release reads in part: “What is even more alarming is the brazen use of firearms by civilians in this so-called parade — at a time when illegal arms proliferation is at a dangerous high in our country (sic)”.

A close examination of the video revealed that the objects held by the uniformed CADETN group during the guard of honour are wooden carved rifles, used by paramilitary for ceremonial and rehearsal purposes, particularly for mounting guards of honour.

Analysis of the video showed that the wooden dummy rifles have no triggers and other features of military rifles.

We found similar dummy rifles from some of the ceremonies held by another paramilitary here.

The CADETN’s Corps Commander, J. G. Fatoye also confirmed that any weapon seen in the video is that of the security details of the dignitaries and not that of the organisation.

The men bearing real rifles in the video did not partake in the guard of honour and they appear to have escorted dignitaries to the event.

Fatoye’s statement reads: “We will like to state categorically that no ammunition was used and no military paraphernalia was used during the guard of Honour as peddled by critics. The guard of Honour was mounted using wooden dummy rifles as it is practice among other uniform organizations. Any weapon seen in the video is that of the security details of the dignitaries and not that of the organization. (sic)”.

Verdict: INCORRECT

Atiku’s claim that the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network (CADETN) used firearms in the parade is incorrect, as evidence shows they used wooden carved rifles instead.

Conclusion

The claims by Atiku Abubakar that Seyi Tinubu received a military guard of honour and that firearms were used during the CADETN event in Ogun State are false. Investigations revealed that the guard of honour was performed by CADETN, a paramilitary youth organisation unaffiliated with the Nigerian military, and the rifles used were wooden dummy rifles for ceremonial purposes.

NOTE: This report was written by an alumni of the ROUNDCHECK volunteers network and co-published.

Claim

An X user Chigozirim Aliyu Emeakayi has claimed that Peter Obi, Labour Party 2023 Presidential candidate and the former governor of Anambra State congratulated MC Oluomo after he (MC Oluomo) was reportedly elected the National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).  

The post reads “Breaking: Peter Obi pays homage to Oluomo, vows to work with him as the new NURTW National President”

As of the time of filing this report, the post, made on November 12, 2024, had gained 331,000 views, 332 reposts, 788 replies, and 2,000 likes.

Also, on the 12th of November 2024, a news blog reported that Peter Obi paid homage to MC Oluomo after his election as the NURTW president. This image wa used in the publication.

LinkedIn user, Dr. Stanley I. Boma also uploaded the image and asked if it was real or photoshopped, sparking various comments.

ROUNDCHECK subjected the image to different verification checks and was found to be misleading.  

Who  Is MC Oluomo?

Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo. He rose to prominence and became the head of a motor park in Oshodi and eventually became the chairman of NURTW in Lagos.

According to media reports, he was elected as the National President of NURTW in 2024 but faced controversies, including allegations that he was no longer a member of the union after he tore his membership card in 2022.

He was later sacked by the Court of Appeal in Abuja and was replaced by Hamma Barka.

Brief of Peter Obi

Peter Gregory Obi CON is a Nigerian politician and businessman who was the Governor of Anambra State under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 17 March 2006 to 3 November 2006, when he was impeached. He was reinstated on 9 February 2007 and continued his tenure until 2010. In 2023, he contested for the post of president, leading a massive movement referred to as the Obidents.

ROUNDCHECK Findings

First, ROUNDCHECK subjected the images to a Google Reverse Image search to determine the photograph’s first publication date, and it discovered that the image was first found online on 11 November 2024.

The image was used in a post on the Nigeria forum blog Nairaland first on 11 November 2024. The image was used to announce the election of MC Oluomo as the National Chairman of NURTW.

In the picture taken by only MC Olumo, he was seen standing with two flags.

Our checks showed that the picture was later manipulated using a different picture of Peter Obi to depict that it was taken together.

Also, a further search through the official X handle of Peter of Obi showed that no message was posted regarding the election of MC Oluomo by the former governor.

Another closer look at the image also revealed a hidden faded logo at the top right side. This clearly explains that the person behind the manipulation added a logo imprint.

In addition, there were also no media reports of any visit of Peter Obi to Mc Oluomo.

Verdict

After putting the image to reverse image search it was found that the picture used to portray Peter Obi’s congratulation of MC Oluomo is misleading.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), candidates from about 18 political parties are expected to compete for the governorship seat, and campaigning has been intense.

ROUNDCHECK covers everything you need to know about the Edo State elections, including the candidates and the factors that could swing the election in their favour, as well as their strengths and weaknesses in the fierce competition, the number of political parties, the number of eligible voters, and expert commentary on the election. 

The List of Candidates 

On the 22nd of April, INEC officially released the final list of candidates for the governorship election in Edo State.

The list, which was announced through the body’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voters Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, announced that some political parties organised new primaries to substitute their earlier selected candidates before the April 15th 2024 deadline.

Olumekun said, “the Commission is pleased to announce the publication of the final list of candidates for the Edo State Governorship Election. Following the initial primaries, the Commission published the personal particulars of the Governorship candidates and their running mates in our State and Local Government offices in Edo State”.

In the displayed list, Mr Iseghohi Tom is the governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Anerua Abdullai Aliu, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Azena Azemhe Friday and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Osifo Isiah.

Others are All Peoples Movement (APM) Ugiagbe Odaro Syvelster, Areleogbe  Amos Osalumese All Peoples Party (APP), Akhime Kingson Action Democratic Party (ADP), African Action Congress (AAC) Udoh Oberaifo David and  Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is Ighodalo Asuerinme, Boot Party (BP) Osirame Edeipo and Accord party (AP) has Iyere Kennedy as its governorship candidate.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) has Izedonmwen Osarenren Derek, Labour Party (LP) Olumide Akpata Anthony, All Progressives Congress (APC) Okpebholo Monday, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Key Patience Ndidi and Young Progressives Party (YPP) Okungbowa Paul Ovbokhan.

Only 16 of the 17 political parties’ candidates are male, with one female representing the People’s Redemption party in the election.

The Three Horse Race

The political atmosphere in Edo State is reaching a feverish pitch. The frenzy is on, typical of elections in Nigeria, as electioneering has always been characterised by the usual carpet-crossing, alignments and realignments; horse-trading and violence

No doubt, the election is a three-horse race, but this particular contest is peculiar in several ways.

The rivalry between PDP, the governing party in Edo State, and APC, the party in charge at the national level, is more of a status and influence contest between two former allies, Governor Godwin Obaseki, and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, now a senator. 

Edo State’s governorship election on Saturday will be a close race between political heavyweights whose names are not even on the ballots.

On many fronts, the race has all the trappings of a proxy contest. Of all the candidates on the ballot, the three frontline candidates are: Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC; Mr. Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; and Mr. Olumide Akpata, of the Labour Party, LP. 

This election will rekindle the rivalry between the incumbent governor, Obaseki and Oshiomole, which began in 2019, when 14 elected state lawmakers loyal to Oshiomhole, were prevented from being sworn in as members of the House of Assembly, a situation orchestrated by Obaseki.

To get back at Obaseki, Oshiomhole, then as National Chairman of APC, had allegedly denied Obaseki APC’s second term governorship ticket.

And, of course, the candidate of Labour Party, Olumide Akpata, is poised to take advantage of the numerical strength of the zone he hails from.

There have been threats to security at different times, but the campaigns have also degenerated to character debate, with two of the frontline candidates – Ighodalo and Okpebholo – staying away from a debate organised for the candidates.

Eligible Voters

INEC announced that 2,249,780 Permanent Voter Cards had been collected from Edo State’s 2,629,025 registered voters ahead of the governorship election on September 21, 2024.

The collected PVCs represent 85.57 per cent of the total, with 379,245 PVCs, or 14.43 per cent still uncollected as of the extended deadline on Sunday, 15th September 2024, according to Inec.

With 4,519 polling units in Edo state, over 2 million eligible voters will decide the next governor on Saturday.

The image below has gone viral on social media showing the construction of an overhead bridge supposedly from Abia state.

Some of the claims are positing that the project is constructed by one of Nigeria’s governor, Alex Otti of Abia state. This picture has been circulated on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), with the caption that the bridge is part of the achievements of Otti since he resumed office.

 A Facebook user named Icute Chi posted the picture on June 23, 2024 with the caption “Abia state longest bridge, This type of bridge will put Abia state in the first position.”

Also, On June 24th, Engineer Peter Terlumun Impedance posted same picture with the caption “Abia state longest bridge, This is the work of Alex Otti.. well-done sir…

Another Facebook user, Engineer Tobit Obasi shared another version of the post with the caption “INFRASTRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT: Aba Abia State longest bridge… a true testament of a man that is on a destined mission!!! “This is the work of Alex C. Otti. This type of bridge will put Abia state straight on the map…”

All of these claims are trying to justify that the bridge is located in Abia State and also built by governor Alex Otti. This made us dig deeper to find the source of the image.

As the picture went viral, the authenticity of the picture and the caption became more misleading.

ROUNDCHECK Findings

ROUNDCHECK subjected the picture to a Google reverse image and found out that the image had been published on the internet by the Civil Engineering Discoveries X (formerly Twitter) handle on June 22, 2024.

The X (formerly Twitter) captioned the image as “China bridge construction.”

The claim that the viral image shows the longest bridge in Abia state has been debunked by several fact-checking platforms. Our research revealed that the earliest version of the image on the internet was attributed to China, not Abia state.

Verdict

 Despite being shared widely on social media, the claim is INCORRECT.

]]> https://roundcheck.com.ng/2024/07/29/this-overhead-bridge-construction-picture-not-from-abia-state/feed/ 0 https://roundcheck.com.ng/2024/07/06/what-is-samoa-agreement-and-did-nigeria-sign-it/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-samoa-agreement-and-did-nigeria-sign-it https://roundcheck.com.ng/2024/07/06/what-is-samoa-agreement-and-did-nigeria-sign-it/#respond Sat, 06 Jul 2024 16:53:21 +0000 https://roundcheck.com.ng/?p=2202 On 15 November 2023, 27 EU Member states and 47 of the 79 Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) member states at the sideline of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly signed the Samoa Agreement in Apia, Samoa.

The agreement set the detailed action and framework for cooperation and promote sustainable development between the European Union (EU) and OACPS.

The Samoa Agreement brings together 79 member states of the OACPS and 27 member states of the European Union to represent close to 2 billion people with diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

The OACPS, comprising African, Caribbean and Pacific States, was established in 1975 under the “Georgetown Agreement”.

The organisation’s key goals are sustainable development and the reduction of poverty in its Member States and their deeper inclusion into the world economy.

This was formerly recognised as the African, Caribbean and Pacific Community (ACP). Nigeria became a full member of the OACPS on 6 June 1975 and has been working together with members of the OACPS and the European Union to address global challenges.

What Does The Samoa Agreement Mean?

The Samoa agreement was a replacement of the Cotonou agreement which was due to expire in February 2020.

The agreement aims to strengthen the capacity of the EU and the ACP countries to address global challenges together.

It lays down common principles and covers the following six priority areas which are: democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth and development, climate change, human and social development, peace and security, and migration and mobility.

According to the European Council, the Samoa agreement aims to promote development and ensure economic growth across all regions.

ROUNDCHECK discovered that the agreement includes focus on the regions’ specific needs and a common foundation at ACP level combined with three regional protocols for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The agreement will serve as the new legal framework for the next twenty years, succeeding the Cotonou agreement for both the EU and OACPS.

The Cotonou Agreement

The previous partnership framework, the Cotonou agreement, was adopted in 2000 to replace the 1975 Lomé Convention. It was concluded for a 20-year period.

The Cotonou agreement was initially due to expire in February 2020. It aimed to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty and contribute to the gradual integration of the ACP countries into the world economy.

It was based on three pillars: development cooperation, economic and trade cooperation and political dimension.

Did Nigeria Sign The Samoa agreement?

On 28th June 2024, Nigeria signed the Samoa Agreement at the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium.

“Ambassador Obinna Chiedu Onowu represented his country to sign the Samoa Agreement at the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels,”OACPS posted on their X page.

According to Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation,stated that the Samoa Agreement is nothing but a vital legal framework for cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union.

He further emphasize that the agreement was signed after the extensive reviews and consultations by the Interministerial Committee, convened by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ). He noted that the pact was looked into to ensure that none of the 103 Articles and Provisions of the Agreement contravenes the 1999 Constitution as amended or laws of Nigeria, and other extant Laws.

With this, ROUNDCHECK can confirm that Nigeria has joined the list of countries to be a part of the signatories to the agreement that will span for twenty years to promote sustainable development in the region.

]]> https://roundcheck.com.ng/2024/07/06/what-is-samoa-agreement-and-did-nigeria-sign-it/feed/ 0 https://roundcheck.com.ng/2023/05/01/abike-dabiri-erewa-is-not-correct-with-her-claim-on-nigerians-population-richest-person-in-sudan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=abike-dabiri-erewa-is-not-correct-with-her-claim-on-nigerians-population-richest-person-in-sudan https://roundcheck.com.ng/2023/05/01/abike-dabiri-erewa-is-not-correct-with-her-claim-on-nigerians-population-richest-person-in-sudan/#respond Mon, 01 May 2023 14:21:33 +0000 https://roundcheck.com.ng/?p=1984 Claim

On April 23, 2023, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Arewa made two claims  on Twitter that there are over 3 million Nigerians in Sudan and the richest person in Sudan is a Nigerian. 

She made these claims while responding to inquiries about how Nigerians are studying in Sudan.

Full text of her tweet: “We have well over 3 million resident there. Even more , but let me just put it at that estimate. The richest person in Sudan is a Nigerian” [sic].

The claims have garnered over 463 retweets, 139 quotes and 1,619 likes as at the time of filing this report.

ROUNDCHECK can establish that Abike Dabiri’s claims are in connection with the ongoing crisis in war-ravaged Sudan.

We checked the claims and findings showed that they are incorrect.

The Sudan Crisis 

Sudan, a North African country was thrown into an armed conflict as rival factions struggled to take control of the country. 

The civil war started on April 15, 2023, in the heart of Khartoum, the country’s capital city, before it spread to other parts of the country. 

The fighting began with attacks on key government sites by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. Airstrikes, artillery and gunfire have been exchanged between the RSF forces and forces siding with Sudan’s de facto leader and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. 

Since the fighting erupted over a week ago, nearly 500 people have been killed and almost 4,100 injured, the United Nations said.

Crisis-ridden Sudan is home to about 46.7 million population, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.

As the generals agreed to a 72-hour cease-fire, countries are evacuating their nationals.

Countries that have evacuated citizens so far include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Spain amongst others.

Nigeria’s Efforts To Evacuate Its Citizens From Sudan

On Wednesday, April 15, 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) commenced the evacuation of Nigerians in Sudan.

The evacuation process is in line with NiDCOM‘s duties which is headed by Abike Dabiri-Erewa as Chairman. This makes her a major player in the evacuation of Nigerians who are stuck in Sudan.

NiDCOM in a tweet on April 26, 2023 shared a video displaying buses (meant to convey Nigerians from Sudan) parked in line, and subsequently shared pictures showing Nigerians on the queue for registration.

According to a media report by The Punch, the Nigerian government was said to have released the sum of N150 million $325,824.88 (CBN rate) for hiring 40 buses to transfer its citizens from Sudan to nearby border Egypt; from where they will continue the journey back to Nigeria. 

Claim 1

We have well over 3 million residents there. Even more , but let me just put it at that estimate – Dabiri-Erewa 

The claim was also reported by an online blog here with the headline ‘Over three million Nigerians live in Sudan, one is country’s  richest man’ [sic].

ROUNDCHECK Findings 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in a recent interview with Channels Television, said there are over 5,000 Nigerians in the crisis-ridden Sudan.

He puts the Nigerian population figure in Sudan which he claimed to have gotten from the Embassy at 5,500.

When the anchor of the ‘Sunday Politics’, Seun Okinbaloye the programme asked Onyeama the number of Nigerians in Sudan, he said: “The figure that was given today (April 23) was 5,500 by the Embassy“. 

We further conducted different keyword  searches which led us to a 2018 interview by DailyTrust where the then Sudan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ibrahim Bushra, said there are over 5 million Sudanese of Nigerian origin in Sudan. 

He said: “One might say the relationship between Nigeria and Sudan is a long standing and deeply-rooted history. As a matter of fact, it is a unique relationship as the two countries do not share border. Yet, blood relations, as evidenced by the millions of Sudanese people of Nigerian origin, convey the strong social and cultural bonds between the two countries. In the past, pilgrims from Nigeria seeking to perform the hajj would trek all the way to Hijaz, crossing through Sudan. Many of those making their way back from the holy trip would settle and intermarry with the locals, given the long distance. That is how we now have approximately over five million Sudanese of Nigerian origin in Sudan.”

However, there is no clarity as to what he meant by the usage of ‘Sudanese of Nigerian origin’, but we can establish from his preceding response that he refers to Nigerians who have settled during their return from hajj and are now Sudanese (either by marriage or registration).

Meanwhile, there is no official record – recent or previous – stating the population of Nigerians in Sudan.

Neither the Sudan government nor any of the related embassies released any data/document showing the Nigerian population in Sudan. 

Abike Dabiri-Erewa said there are over 3 million Nigerians in Sudan; a 2018 interview with Nigerian Ambassador to Sudan says the figure is about 5 million ‘Nigerians of Sudanese’ origin; then the Nigerian Foreign Minister quoted the Embassy to have revealed the  population figure at 5,500 (of Nigerians in Sudan) 

We can conclude that the claim is UNCONFIRMED as there is no official document to show the number of Nigerians in Sudan at this period.

Verdict: UNCONFIRMED 

 Claim 2

The richest person in Sudan is a Nigerian.

A blog also reported the claim here with the headline: ‘Nigerian Richest person in Sudan says Dabiri-Erewa‘

ROUNDCHECK Findings We conducted a check on Forbes, a global finance, technology and leadership company (also known for rankings) where it was revealed that Mohammed “Mo” Ibrahim is the richest man in Sudan.

Who Is Mo Ibrahim, Sudan’s Richest Man

According to the global magazine which ranks everything from world billionaires to colleges, the Sudanese-British businessman, Mo Ibrahim has an estimated wealth of $1.2bn and he is the 2,391st richest person in the world.

He was born on 3 May, 1946 in Sudan, of Nubian descent, an ethnic group whose traditional homelands stretch from Southern Egypt into Northern Sudan. His family moved to Alexandria, Egypt when he was young. 

Ibrahim has a bachelor’s degree from Alexandria University in electrical engineering. He returned to Sudan and started working for a telephone company named Sudan Telecom.

He moved to England and earned a master’s degree from the University of Bradford in Electronics and Electrical Engineering, and a PhD from the University of Birmingham in Mobile Communications.

He founded Celtel International in 1998, one of the first mobile phone companies serving Africa and the Middle East.

He later sold Celtel to Kuwait’s Mobile Telecommunications Company for $3.4 billion in 2005 and he pocketed $1.4 billion.

Ibrahim also chairs the board of Satya Capital, a private equity fund that invests in African businesses, education and healthcare.

Further checks on the background of Mo Ibrahim reveal he has no link with Nigeria as both parents have their origin from Southern Egypt into Northern Sudan.

ROUNDCHECK can conclude that the richest man in Sudan is not a Nigerian as claimed by Chairman of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

The claim is INCORRECT. 

Verdict: INCORRECT 

Besides, A Nigerian Does Not Make Top Five Richest Men in Sudan

ROUNDCHECK further checked whether a Nigerian makes the list of top five richest men in Sudan.

Our check revealed that no Nigerian made the list of richest Men beside Mo Ibrahim, here are the top richest men, all of whom are of Sudan extraction:

Osama Daoud Abdellatif

Osama Daoud Abdellatif is a Sudanese businessman and the chairman of DAL Group, a large number of companies based in Khartoum, Sudan. 

The company, which has tentacles in food and beverage, agriculture, heavy equipment retail, automobile distribution, education and healthcare, generates annual revenues of more than $1.6 billion. 

DAL Food Industries has been the sole bottler and distributor of The Coca-Cola Company brands in Sudan since 2002. 

Daoud is from Wadi Halfa City in the north of Sudan. He graduated from Manchester University in 1972 from business management and received an Honorary Ph.D. in Business Management from Sudan University.

Amin El-Nefeidi

Amin El-Nefeidi is the president of Elnefeidi Group, one of Sudan’s most prominent family-owned conglomerates. Over years,  Elnefeidi’s tiny local soap shop grew into a larger wholesale outlet with the support of his two brothers, and by the 1970s had diversified into livestock, oil and transportation. 

It has annual revenues of more than $400 million and operates in the agriculture, automotive, commercial, food, logistics, mining, and real estate sectors.

Ahmed Abdellatif

Ahmed Abdellatif is the President of CTC Group, a Sudanese private limited group of companies, established in 1956 as The Central Trading Co. Ltd. 

With annual revenues in excess of $200 million, CTC is a major importer, trader and distributor exclusively representing some of the world’s major manufacturers of agricultural and construction machinery, consumer electronics, automobiles and fertilizers in Sudan.

Salih Abdelrahman Yagoub

Salih Abdelrahman Yagoub is the chairman of the eponymous Salih Abdelrahman Yagoub Co. (SAY Co.), which he founded in the 1960s. 

The company has annual revenues of more than $100 million and operates in numerous fields ranging from industrial construction to trading to retail to services.

Conclusion

ROUNDCHECK findings show that the claim that there are over 3 million Nigerians in Sudan is UNCONFIRMED. 

Our findings also show that the claim that a Nigerian is the richest person in Sudan is INCORRECT.