Fact-checking Claims On Bola Ahmed Tinubu And Peter Obi’s Tenure As Governors
On July 23, 2025, an X user made several claims about President Bola Tinubu when he was governor, such as him not receiving allocation from the federal government and also not owing salaries, whereas, Peter Obi on the other hand, despite getting allocations from the federal government, yet could not pay doctors salaries for 16 months. The post contained a video of a man recounting everything he knows about Tinubu’s governorship administration and Obi’s governorship administration. This was captioned, “When Tinubu was governor he never received alllcation and he never owed salary, Peter Obi was collecting allocation from Federal govt, yet he couldn’t pay doctors their salary for 16 months” – Igbo Man says✊🔥👇Rt”
As of the time this report was published, the post had reached over 19,300 people with about 540 replies, reposts, quotes, likes and bookmarks. In the comment section, @EkeleyedePedro wrote “Liar lie lie man, Obi matter na go kpia all of una, you and Omokri the goat na same thing, if una like am or not Obi is the President Come 2027” while @NwokediBasil said “Tinubu received full allocation in his first term. He received state allocation in the second term. It was only LG allocation that was held for about two years. He made it up with bank loan which fashola paid when yaradua released the allocation.”
VERIFICATIONS
Bola Tinubu, a Nigerian politician and former Lagos State governor from 1999 to 2007 under the Alliance for Democracy, AD, played a key role in forming the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2013. In 2023, Tinubu was elected as the President of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi is a Nigerian businessman and politician who became governor of Anambra State in 2006 under the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. He later joined the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and was the Vice Presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 general election, and later moved to the Labour Party and ran for President in the 2023 election, gaining widespread support, especially among youth and urban voters, though he finished third in the election.
CLAIM 1: Tinubu Did Not Receive Allocation From The Federal Government When He Was Governor Of Lagos State
VERIFICATION
In 2004, then president, Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration withheld funds due to Lagos Local Government Councils, LGAs, in protest against Tinubu’s decision to create new Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, not recognised by the federal government.
The withholding of funds affected only local government funds, not the allocation meant for the state government itself. Lagos continued to receive statutory allocations from the Federation Account for the state government.
Data shows that Lagos received allocations from 2004 to 2007. Also, CBN’s half year data between 2000 and 2007 confirmed that Lagos state government received funds till Tinubu left office.
VERDICT
The claim that Tinubu never received allocation from the federal government when he was a governor is FALSE, Lagos State under Tinubu did receive allocations from the federal government during his two terms as governor.
CLAIM 2: Tinubu Never Owed Salaries When He Was Governor
VERIFICATION
Public records suggest that Lagos state maintained a consistent track record of prompt salary payments, starting from Tinubu’s administration and continuing under his successors,There is no credible evidence that Lagos State government employees had their salaries withheld under Tinubu’s administration.
Also isolated protests, like ones in 2016 and 2017, by staff at the Environment and Flood Abatement Department over salary delays, occurred years after Tinubu’s tenure and under successive administrations.
VERDICT
The claim that Tinubu did not owe salaries when he was governor of Lagos state is TRUE.
CLAIM 3: Peter Obi Owed Anambra Doctors 16 Months Salary
VERIFICATION
During Peter Obi’s tenure as Governor of Anambra State between March 2006 to March 2014, doctors employed by Anambra State launched a 13-month strike over the government’s failure to fully implement the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, which included a promised 60 percent increase in pay, which was later suspended after signing a partial agreement with state officials on improved pay scales.
NV-A found no credible report on doctors being owed for 16 months when Obi was governor of Anambra state.
VERDICT
The claim that Peter Obi owed doctors salaries for 16 months is MISLEADING, there was a 13 month doctors’ strike, which stemmed from labour disputes over salary structure implementation, not routine unpaid salaries. Besides, there is no record indicating that doctors’ regular monthly salaries were withheld for 16 months as claimed or the 13 months they were on strike.
CONCLUSION
The claim made in the video is MOSTLY FALSE. The claim that when Tinubu was governor he never received allocation is FALSE. Lagos State under Tinubu did receive allocations from the federal government during his terms as governor. Also, the claim that Tinubu never owed salary, is TRUE as there is no credible evidence that Lagos State government employees’ salaries were withheld under his administration. Meanwhile, the claim that Obi “owed doctors’ salaries for 16 months” is MISLEADING as there are no records indicating that doctors’ regular monthly salaries were withheld during the industrial action or the acclaimed 16 months.
