Claim 1:
The Viral Claim;
An X user, @salawueedris1 posted a list of Ondo Gubernatorial candidates with a claim that the Labour Party has replaced its candidate for the election.
Verification;
VERDICT: TRUE
NV-A checked final list of candidates published by INEC in the Ondo Election. Findings show that 18 parties were duly registered for the election while INEC posted on its X handles that Olusola Ebiseni would be replaced with Olorunfemi Festus as the Labour Party candidate.
Conclusion
INEC changed the LP candidate name from Ebiseni to Olorunfemi following a Court of Appeal judgment.
Source: x.com/inecnigeria
Claim 2:
The Viral Claim;
An X user, @GistLover posted a 3-minute video with a claim that DSS officials arrested alleged vote buyer with Two “Ghana Must Go” bags containing cash in the ongoing Ondo State election.
Verification;
VERDICT: TRUE
When NV-A critically watched the video, the video had a Logo of Channels TV which indicates that the Channels TV recorded the video. A look through their website revealed that the incident happened and the suspect was arrested at Ward 4, polling Unit 007 Outside St. Stephen’s Primary School, Akure, Ondo State around 9 am today.
Conclusion
The Claim that DSS arrested a man with “Ghana Must Go” containing cash is TRUE.
Source: Channels TV
Claim 3:
An X User @TimiBlaze posted a 2 minute 20 seconds video of AAC chairman, Kayode Babayomi challenging alleged APC miscreants, holding cash, a book and a pen, documenting vote buying at polling units in Ondo state.
Verification;
VERDICT: TRUE
NV-A reached out to @TimiBlaze who confirmed that the video was captured by the Oyo chairman of African Action Congress (AAC), Kayode Babayomi (Apostlekay7) and he made the video while confronting the men. The video was also shared by Babayomi on his X page.
Conclusion
The video of alleged vote buying in Ondo is TRUE. According to Babayomi who made the video, the alleged vote buying happened in Ward 3, Unit 11 and 12, Ilutuntun, Okitipupa LG, Ondo state on Election Day.
Source: X.com/Apostlekay7
Claim 4:
Claim:
An X user, @SamzyVG claimed that voters are receiving instant cash payment of ₦10,000 at Ayanfe, Aule Estate, Akure, Ondo State.
Verification:
VERDICT: TRUE
Tribune Online and Ripples Nigeria reported that voters are being paid between ₦10,000 to ₦30,000 by political parties. Additionally, Ripples Nigeria reported that the EFCC has arrived at polling units in the state to monitor the election.
Conclusion:
A claim that instant cash payment to voters is going in Ondo State election by parties is TRUE.
Claim 5:
Claim:
Ondo PDP Guber Candidate, Agboola Ajayi cries foul about the ongoing election, calls for INEC Chairman to resign.
Verification:
VERDICT: TRUE
The Cable reported that Ajayi, while speaking with the press after casting his vote, expressed dissatisfaction with the electoral process and blamed it on INEC and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner. Ajayi said, “I think Nigerians should call on the chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu. If he cannot do the job, he should just resign. This is embarrassing.”
Conclusion:
The claim that the Ondo PDP gubernatorial candidate, Agboola Ajayi, cried foul over the ongoing election exercise in Ondo and called for INEC chairman to resign is true.
Source:
Tribune Online, Ripples Nigeria
Claim 6:
Claim:
An X user, @IfedolapoOsun posted a 53 seconds video with a claim that PDP councillorship candidate mobilized thugs with Axe to disrupt election at Igan Polling booth in Ikija, Ijebu East LG.
Verification:
VERDICT: MISLEADING
A Reverse Image Search of screenshots from the clip didn’t bring any similar clip to the claims. Further searches conducted also did not reveal any credible newspaper reports on the incident. A look through INEC’s portal showed that there’s no local government in Ondo named Ijebu East, neither is there an area called Ikija nor a polling unit called Igan.
Conclusion:
A claim that the PDP councilor candidate was caught with Axe in Ijebu East LG is Misleading.
Source:
INEC Website
Claim 7;
Claim:
An X user, @AyoguOhagwu posted an INEC result sheet for AROGBO I in ESE-ODO Local Government of Ondo with the claim that APC candidate pulled 116 votes, PDP scored 26 vote and Labour Party had 1 in the gubernatorial election.
Verification:
VERDICT: TRUE
NV-A went on to extract the result sheet uploaded on INEC IREV portal and confirmed that the result posted by @AyoguOhagwu is the same one uploaded on the IREV portal for ARENIBARO MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, AMA-PERE polling unit in AROGBO I, ESE-ODO Local Government Area of Ondo state.
Conclusion:
The claim that in the 2024 guber election, the APC had 116 vote, PDP scored 26 votes while LP recorded 1 vote in a polling unit in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo state is TRUE.
Source: INEC IREV PORTAL
