The Ondo State 2024 Governorship Election begins on Saturday morning, with voters heading to the polls to choose the next governor for the southwestern Nigerian state.
Our team of journalists, researchers, fact-checkers, social media monitors, editors, and OSINT experts are joining the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) Election Situation Rooms to identify and debunk any election-related misinformation or disinformation aimed at causing voter apathy, inciting violence, or influencing the result of the gubernatorial election.
CLAIM 1
CLAIM: In a campaign tweet, an X user, @KolaDemolaHQ, claimed that Ondo state contributes 12 per cent of Nigeria’s oil and gas.
FINDINGS: According to the 2023 annual report by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Ondo State’s crude oil/condensate production was 12,203,686 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 1,905,828,426 Mscf in 2023.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCE: Annual report of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission
DATE: 16/11/2024
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Nurudeen Akewushola
EDITORS: Simbiat Bakare & Opeyemi Kehinde
CLAIM 2
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.
FINDINGS: 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.”
VERDICT: Unproven
SOURCE: Odunlami Ibukun (Ondo state police PRO).
DATE: 16/11/2024
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Motunrayo Joel
EDITORS: Simbiat Bakare & Opeyemi Kehinde
CLAIM 3
CLAIM: An X user, @Jersada94, claimed that the Ilaje local government has the second-highest number of voters in Ondo State.
FINDINGS:
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.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCE: INEC
DATE: 16/11/2024
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Samuel Agbelusi
EDITORS: Simbiat Bakare & Opeyemi Kehinde
CLAIM 4
CLAIM: An X user claimed there were incidents of vote buying in Owo, Ondo state.
FINDINGS: A report by BBC Pidgin confirmed the video was captured at Unit 016 Ahmadiyya Grammar School, Owo.
A Keyframe analysis on INVID also shows that the video is recent on the internet. The NFC spoke with Fidelis David, an observer for TheCable, who explained that the language spoken in the video is Owo dialect. Mr David who was in Owo early this morning said although he didn’t see when cash was exchanged physically, he noticed that voters were displaying their ticked ballot papers to some set of persons across the field. He said they were probably doing that for the money promised.
Also, Ayodele Oluwafemi, another TheCable observer in Kiribo Ese-Odo LGA 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.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: Independent Observers, INVID, BBC Pidgin
DATE: 16/11/2024
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Elizabeth Ogunbamowo
EDITORS: Ajibola Amzat & Opeyemi Kehinde
CLAIM 5
CLAIM: An X user, @Naijassador, has claimed that 1.7 million registered voters will elect a new governor in today’s Ondo State election.
FINDINGS: 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.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCE: INEC
DATE: 16/11/2024
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Precious Ewuji
EDITORS: Lois Ugbede & Opeyemi Kehinde
CLAIM 6
CLAIM: An X user, @TheoAbuAgada, has claimed that the Labour Party (LP) is not included in the Ondo governorship election ballot paper.
FINDINGS: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo confirmed that the Labour Party (LP) was captured on the ballot in the ongoing governorship election in the state. All political parties that field candidates for the poll verified and confirmed the inclusion of their correct logos before today’s election. Also, a journalist with the ICIR monitoring the election, Mr Alex Ehime, confirmed that LP is on the ballot after visiting a polling unit. However, INEC, in compliance with a court order yesterday, restored Mr Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus as the LP candidate for the Ondo governorship polls. He replaced Mr Olusola Ebiseni.
VERDICT: Incorrect
SOURCES: INEC Ondo, Mildrate Okay, a voter, an ICIR journalist on the field, Mr Alex Ehime, and a copy of the 2024 Ondo governorship ballot.
DATE: 16/11/2024
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Idris Kamal (WikkiTimes)
EDITORS: Ajibola Amzat, Simbiat Bakare & Opeyemi Kehinde
CLAIM 7
CLAIM: A TikTok user, @brodabanter_backup_page, claimed three governorship candidates have withdrawn their candidacy for Aiyedatiwa.
FINDINGS: 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).
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCES: The Cable & The Guardian
DATE: 16/11/2024
FACTCHECK AUTHOR: Muktar Balogun
EDITORS: Lois UGBEDE & Opeyemi Kehinde