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Violence breaks out in Lagos polling units

Mustapha USMAN
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Violence breaks out in Lagos polling units

HOODLUMS stormed several polling units in Lagos, destroyed electoral materials and chased away the electorate and officials of the independent National Electoral Commission during the ongoing presidential and National Assembly elections.

The ICIR also observed electoral violence in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In Lagos, a voter, Joey Akan, in a post on Twitter, disclosed that armed thugs destroyed ballot boxes and threw away ballot papers at Oba Elegushi.

The voter, who is also a journalist, said he was harassed and had to pull back for his safety.

Also, in a video circulating on social media, a young man was heard threatening voters, stating that the electorate shouldn’t vote for another party or will be dealt with.

“If you no fit vote for APC for here, go your house. Go house o, if I see you vote for another party, I will go look am, if I see you vote another party you will enter Wahala,” said.

In Lagos Mainland, thugs were reported to have destroyed ballot boxes and scattered ballots all over the street at Polling Unit 031.

In another location at Fadeyi, Lagos, a party agent was heard interfering with the election process. According to a voice from a video circulating on social media, voters aren’t allowed to vote for LP and PDP.

The ICIR also gathered that there was electoral violence at Ijaye street, Mafoloku, Oshodi, Lagos state. Ballot papers were burnt, and voters were also chased away.

Similarly, in FCT, armed hoodlums scattered voting materials and chased people away at the two polling units at the Gwagwalada Wazobia Park.

According to voters at the units, security officers on duty allegedly ran away before the combined team of security officers comprising soldiers, police , NSCDC, Immigration, Correctional Service, VIOs came to pacify the angry voters.

Many voters who spoke with The ICIR said the attackers knew that the area is a stronghold of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

INEC officials yet to arrive some polling units in Nasarawa

Bankole ABE
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INEC officials yet to arrive some polling units in Nasarawa

THE Presidential and National Assembly election is currently holding across Nigeria.

However, with few hours to the end of voting, the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are yet to arrive in some polling units in Nasarawa.

At Polling unit 030, Nasarawa Eggon Local Government, Alizaga ward INEC officials are still yet to arrive with the electoral material as at this moment in most PU’s.

Voters are said to be frustrated and tired of waiting.

An eyewitness said the election is yet to commence at most polling units in Nasarawa Eggon LGA.

Also, at Polling Unit Code: 012, Maikanka Nasarawa North, reports say no INEC ad-hoc staff or election materials are present.

However, accreditation and voting have commenced at Polling Unit Code:010, Eyenu Omale 1, with security personnel on the ground to ensure safety.

The data presented here has been obtained from UZABE, the most locally-sourced election observation tool developed by Connected Development.

MC Oluomo caught on camera intimidating, discriminating against non-indigenes of Lagos

Oghenekevwe UCHECHUKWU
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MC Oluomo caught on camera intimidating, discriminating against non-indigenes of Lagos

THERE are reports of voter intimidation and ethnic discrimination in some polling units across Lagos State by some persons supporting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite the presence of security officials.

Voting has largely been peaceful in the state but some videos have emerged showing pro-APC supporters insisting on the party or tribe that can be allowed to vote in some polling units.

In one of the videos seen by The ICIR, the head of the Lagos State branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, could be heard threatening to resist any Igbo who attempted to vote.

https://publish.twitter.com/?url=https://twitter.com/SavvyRinu/status/1629449495883702272

“Any Igbo wen dem born well, make e come vote again; me I dey here,” MC Oluomo said as a police officer standing by tapped him on the back as if trying to appease him as voters stood watching to see what would happen.

A second video captured a man clearly telling voters they would only be allowed to vote for the APC party.

“If you no fit vote APC for here, go your house. Nobody force you come here. I go come check am. If I see you vote another party, you go enter one chance. We no come joke for here,” the unidentified man yelled.

Political thugs supporting the ruling party also disrupted voting at Oba Yekini, Elegushi Street; Ikate, Lekki; Akinyele street in Aguda, Surulere and Fadeyi areas of Lagos state, scattering ballot boxes and interfering with the election process, in the presence of security men.

“I collected a couple of slaps for fighting back before I got pulled from the melee, into a house for my safety. Now I have to be smuggled out of the voting area because I have been marked,” a journalist and CEO of Afrobeats Intelligence Joey Akan said.

The ICIR reports that as of press time, the police Rapid Response Squad (RRS) had arrived at Oba Elegushi after residents staged a protest chanting “we must vote” and with improved military presence, voting has resumed in the area.

FCT PDP chairman dies in car crash on election day

Theophilus ADEDOKUN
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FCT PDP chairman dies in car crash on election day

THE Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Federal Capital territory (FCT) Sunday Zakka has died in a car accident.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, February 25 along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport- Kuje Road, Abuja.

He reportedly died alongside his security aide.

The FCT PDP chairman was on his way to Kuje in preparation for Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Reacting to the chairman’s death, a member of the party, Michael Kpatuba described the development as a huge loss for the party.

Reacting to the incident, Kpatuba wrote: “Dying on election day is really heartbreaking to the FCT PDP family

“You left earlier today around 3:00 am to your home town Kuje as the time draws closer to voting, we received sudden and shocking news about your accident. Yea, you died alongside your personal security. This is so shocking and still finding it difficult to say goodbye Sir. Remembering the jokes we cracked before you left. Dying on election day is really heartbreaking to the FCT PDP family. Rest in peace, Hon Zaka Sunday, FCT PDP Chairman.”

BVAS malfunction mars election in Rivers

Beloved JOHN
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BVAS malfunction mars election in Rivers

VOTERS in Rivers are getting agitated by the delay caused by the malfunctioning of tge Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Despite the delay caused by the late arrival of INEC officials, the malfunctioning device has further slowed the voting process.

It was observed that in some cases, BVAS did not provide accurate information about voters and in others, the machine went off for a significant period.

It also could not authenticate the facial features and fingerprints of voters. This resulted in the temporary suspension of the voting process.

For instance, in wards 15 and 16, Obio/Akpor LGA, many voters present were unable to get accredited by the BVAS machine. This malfunction caused chaos in the polling unit. 

Also, in Unit 3, Okolile community, it was observed that many voters are kept waiting because BVAS failed to function. The glitch started at 12:10 p.m. 

Voters in Ward 4, Khana Local Government Area, were also delayed due to the machine malfunction.

The ICIR reported how the BVAS machine failed to accredit Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike and his wife, Justice Suzzette Eberechi, upon arrival at their polling unit.

Wike said, “I’m highly disappointed,” before leaving his polling unit, 7A, Ward 9 in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

There are also cases of inadequate machines in many polling units.

Some of the INEC officials present are inefficient as they have little or no knowledge of how to handle the BVAS machines.

It was observed that some electoral officials at Polling Unit 11, Khana LGA, could not operate the BVAS machine.

Labour party name missing on ballot papers in FCT

Bankole ABE
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Labour party name missing on ballot papers in FCT

SOME voters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have raised the alarm that the Labour Party’s name is missing beside the logo on the ballot papers in a polling unit at Wuse Zone 2.

“When I voted in Zone 2, I noticed that the major parties have their names by the party logo, but Labour Party isn’t there. Is that everywhere?

“In Gwagwalada, everything looks good. Large turnouts but process slow, making people restless,” the voter, who did not wish to be named, said.

He added that at the Kutunku registration area at Fulani Town Hall, two PDP agents complained that voters with PVCs were being turned back from the line and told their names were not on the list.

However, when they went to check on the list pasted by the PU, they found their name.

“One PDP agent said they profile voters and are denying people of Hausa/Fulani origin to vote. But there is absolutely no evidence,” he added.

He, however, said the INEC official claimed their names were missing from their list at PU 004.

Residents allege vote buying, grumble over senior citizens’ privileges in FCT

Ijeoma OPARA
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Residents allege vote buying, grumble over senior citizens’ privileges in FCT

VOTERS at Polling Unit (PU) 003 in Bwari have alleged that some party agents are offering money in exchange of votes.

A voter at the polling unit who only gave her name as Perpetual told The ICIR that voters were asked to snap ballot papers with their phones after voting as evidence in exchange of N5000.

“So far, I have only seen one man quietly telling people to vote for PDP and snap it. I have not seen any other person,” she said.

Meanwhile voters at the Life Camp area of the city have grumbled over what they described as an abuse of the senior citizens’ privilege which allows elderly voters cast votes without joining queues.

They claimed that officials of the Independent National Electioral Commission (INEC) and security personnel were allowing younger voters jump the queue under the guise of attending to senior citizens.

“Even people that are not up to 60 are going before us to vote. Senior citizen doesn’t apply to just anybody. A white beard doesn’t mean you are old,” a female voter yelled bitterly PU 002.

The ICIR spotted a number of older citizens at several polling units in Life Camp and Bwari, many of who arrived to vote carrying chairs from their homes.

Peter Obi expresses dissatisfaction over exclusion of LP logo

Theophilus ADEDOKUN
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Peter Obi expresses dissatisfaction over exclusion of LP logo

PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi has expressed dissatisfaction over the exclusion of the logo and symbol of the party on ballot papers in some states.

Speaking on Arise TV in Anambra, shortly after casting his vote, Obi said people have called his attention to states where the party’s logo is not on ballot papers.

Obi urged INEC to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

“I have been in Anambra for days now and everything is secured. We expected the ballot paper to show clearly the Labour Party sign and somebody has told me that in some states the logo is completely missing.

“We should have been going the way other nations of africa like Ghana are going where we don’t only have the name but the pictures of the candidates. They should have had our pictures in everything but I am not complaining because I know it is a process.”

Peter Obi however, expressed satisfaction over the activities of the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission in his polling unit.

Large voter turnout in South-East despite Simon Ekpa’s sit-at-home order

Bankole ABE
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Large voter turnout in South-East despite Simon Ekpa’s sit-at-home order

VOTERS in the South-East part of trooped out in large numbers to vote in the Presidential and National Assembly election despite the sit-at-home order by the pro-Biafra separatist agitator Simon Ekpa.

Ekpa recently declared a sit-at-home from February 23 to 28, apparently to stop the conduct of the 2023 general elections in the region.

He said the sit-at-home order would help his faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to achieve a Biafra nation in the South-East and South-South parts of Nigeria.

But despite the order, which is usually enforced with killings by unknown gunmen, residents trooped out to vote.

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Ekpa was recently arrested in Finland, days after the Nigerian government expressed worry over his inciting comments and imposition of a sit-at-home order on residents of Nigeria’s South-East, which could scuttle the elections scheduled on February 25 in the region.

He was reportedly arrested on Thursday, February 23, by plainclothes police officers and later released after interrogation.

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An officer from the Central Criminal Police, Tommi Reen, confirmed to the press that the operation was in connection with an ongoing preliminary investigation but did not comment further on the matter.

Earlier on Thursday, Ekpa had released a video calling for a referendum rather than an election in the South-East. He insisted that he was not fighting democracy in Nigeria but autocracy.

This report was produced with the support of Centre For Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) MiNE project.

LIVE FACT-CHECK : 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election

Editorial
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LIVE FACT-CHECK : 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election

As Nigerians head to the poll on Saturday, February 25, 2023, for Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections, the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition (NFC) brings you live-check of election-related misinformation and disinformation spreading online and on television on Election Day.

UPDATE: see election result fact-check here

Do you have an election related claim you want us to fact-check?

Reach the NFC us via HERE.

This page is constantly being updated with verified checks.

Claim 19

CLAIM: A Twitter user claims that voting is yet to commence in some parts of Bayelsa at about 4 p.m.

FINDING: The NFC contacted an observer from Connected Development (CODE), Tare Amananaghan, who confirmed the report and added that the HOD of INEC’s Voter Education Publicity (VEP), Wilfred Ifogah, had informed earlier that the situation was due  to a shortage of ballot paper.

As of 5 p.m, Amananaghan confirmed voting had commenced in many polling units affected.

VERDICT: CORRECT

SOURCE: CODE Observer

Claim 18

CLAIM: An online report  has announced the death of the party chairman of Labour Party, representing Karshi District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Valentine Onuigbo.

The chairman reportedly died in his sleep in the wee hours of Saturday, February 25, 2023.

THE FINDINGS:  Spokesperson of the Labour Party, Yunusa Tanko, has confirmed  the incident.

Newspapers such as Tribune, Vanguard and Prime Business Africa  among others, have also confirmed the death.

VERDICT: CORRECT

SOURCES: Tribune, Vanguard, Prime Business Africa and Labour Party Spokesperson

Claim 17

CLAIM: Former senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, in a Facebook post, claimed that thugs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been arrested in Kogi Central Senatorial district by soldiers.

THE FINDINGS: A Connected Development (CODE) observer on the field, Umar Mohammed, confirmed the incident occurred in Kogi Central around 11 a.m.

He also noted that one of the men arrested is an appointee of the APC government in Kogi State.

A reverse image search did not suggest the image existed earlier than February 25, 2023.

VERDICT: CORRECT

SOURCE: CODE Observer

Claim 16

CLAIM: A video that is circulating on social media showed the moment President Muhammadu Buhari voted for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

THE FINDINGS: President Muhammadu Buhari voted earlier today at Daura, Katsina state and had showed off his ballot papers. Screenshots from the video obtained by the NFC showed that the president actually voted for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress. The clearer versions of the pictures were also found here and here.

Also, in a tweet by the presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Mr Buhari said he voted for Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the APC.

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCES: Punch, The Cable, Premium Times

Claim 15

CLAIM: Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafran  agitator, claims voters are not out in Igweocha part of Rivers State to vote due to the IPOB’s sit-at-home order.

THE FINDINGS:  An election observer affiliated with the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) present at the Igweocha area debunked the news and confirmed that voting is currently ongoing in the area. NFC obtained visual evidence showing that election was ongoing.

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCE: CJID Observer

Claim 14

CLAIM: A Twitter user, @Harmless12345 claimed that Buhari’s vote is void.

THE FINDINGS: His post has recorded nearly 80,000 views on Twitter. Several media reports, however, show that President Muhammadu Buhari displayed his ballot paper publicly after casting his vote for APC in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State. A critical look at the displayed Buhari’s thumbprint shows that it is properly placed and doesn’t exceed beyond the box.

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCES: Premium Times, TheCable, Voice of Nigeria and others.

Claim 13

CLAIM: A Twitter user, Baron Chymaker (@chymaker) urged supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to vote overwhelmingly in Abuja. The claimant stated that the presidential candidates of APC’s Bola Tinubu and PDP’s Atiku Abubakar wouldn’t be declared president if they failed to get 25% in the FCT.

THE FINDINGS: Section 133 of the Nigerian Constitution stipulates that a presidential candidate shall be deemed to have been duly elected if he has a majority of votes cast and “has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

The law doesn’t state winning 25% of votes in Abuja is a condition for winning the presidential election. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, said in an interview on Channels TV, “You don’t have to win the FCT; if you meet the requirement; that is two-thirds of the majority of states in the country.” He said courts have ruled that the FCT should be treated as a state.

VERDICT: MISLEADING

SOURCE: The Nigerian Constitution

Claim 12

CLAIM: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) storms Tinubu’s polling unit in Alausa, Lagos.

THE FINDINGS: Some media reports confirmed that the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were at PU 085, Ward 3, Sunday Adigun, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos where the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, voted.

The ICIR reporter who was present at the polling unit also confirmed the EFCC’s visit. But the voting process was not disrupted by their visit.

VERDICT: CORRECT

SOURCES:  Punch , Vanguard newspapers and others.

Claim 11

CLAIM: Katsina State Police Command arrested party agents for attempting to hack into INEC server

THE FINDINGS: The spokesperson of Katsina Police Command, Gambo Isah, when contacted, confirmed the arrest of some party agents. He, however, stated that after an in-depth investigation, it was discovered that the intention of the  political party involved was to set up a situation room, using an application software and not to hack INEC servers. He also confirmed the same in a press release.

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCE: Katsina State Police Command.

Claim 10

CLAIM:  A video showing electoral violence in Nigeria’s 2023 elections has gone viral on social media.

THE FINDINGS: The video was shot in Ghana during a military drill ahead of the country’s 2020 general election.

The latest version of the video the NFC found on social media was dated  December 2020. It was also found here.

A Ghana-based news outlet, Thedistin, also published the video in November 2020.

VERDICT: INCORRECT.

SOURCE: The Distin, Instagram, Twitter.

Claim 9

CLAIM: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, said over six million new permanent voter cards were collected in the state.

THE FINDINGS:  Voter card collection data published by the Independent National Electoral Commission shows this is incorrect.

The INEC’s data released on February 23, 2023, shows the total number of previously and newly collected voter cards in Lagos is 6.2 million. If Rhodes-Vivour had referred to both old and new, he would have been correct.

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCE: INEC

Claim 8

CLAIM: A blog site, litepawa.org published a report on how Ganduje’s supporters attacked the supporters of Kwankwaso in Kano State.

Abdullahi Ganduje is the Governor of Kano, while  Rabiu Kwankwaso is a former Governor of the state and currently a presidential candidate under the NNPP

THE FINDINGS: Aside from the fact that the blog site lacks all the qualities of a reliable news organization, like an about us page or contact us, the link to the alleged video that depicts the bloody clash was merely a link to an advert. 

Additionally, there is no report elsewhere that hints on the acclaimed bloody clash in Kano.

SOURCE: OSINT

Claim 7

CLAIM: A Twitter user, (@Naija_PR) claims the Labour Party (LP) logo is missing on the ballot papers sent to Ondo State.

THE FINDINGS: The pictures of the alleged ballot papers the claimant shared were from 2015.

However, a report published by Punch Newspaper confirmed the omission of the LP logo on ballot papers sent to Ondo State to be true but only affected that of the Senate and House of Representatives.

VERDICT: MOSTLY CORRECT

SOURCE: Punch Newspaper

Claim 6

CLAIM: A graphic circulating on election morning claims the People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has withdrawn from the presidential race and declared his support for Labour Party’s candidate, Peter Obi.

THE FINDING: The claim is not supported by any evidence.

Such a major development would have been widely reported by local and international media, but no credible media has reported such.

Abubakar voted in his home state, Adamawa, north-east Nigeria, at about 9 a.m. and told journalists he is confident of winning the election.

In a phone call, Paul Ibe, Atiku’s media aide, also debunked the claim.

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCES: Multiple news sources, Atiku’s media aide.

Claim 5

CLAIM: A viral audio clip purports the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, his running mate Ifeanyi Okowa, and  Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, are plotting to rig the general election.

THE FINDINGS: An analysis of the audio note shows that the voices of the trio were cut from previously recorded speeches and joined to create the recording of the conversation. The audio has been doctored; hence it is fake.

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCE: OSINT

Claim 4

CLAIM: A viral SMS claims voters can locate their polling units by sending their PVC 9-digit codes to 8014.

THE FINDINGS: Our findings show this to be false.

The Commissioner for Information and Voter Education at INEC, Festus Okoye, has also clarified that the alleged code is not from the Commission.

He advised voters to stick to the official contact information released by the INEC. 

VERDICT: INCORRECT

SOURCE: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Claim 3

CLAIM: Twitter users claim the Accord party has merged with Labour Party (LP).

THE FINDINGS: The National Chairman of the Accord Party, Issac Adeniyi, confirmed to the Nigerian Fact-checkers Coalition (NFC) that the party has merged with Labour Party and has declared its support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

VERDICT: CORRECT

SOURCE: Accord Party’s national chairman.

Claim 2

CLAIM: Some social media users claim the Boko Haram terrorist group has taken over INEC offices in Kaduna and Kano states.

THE FINDINGS: The images attached to the posts are old and are from unrelated incidents in the past. One of them is as old as 2016.

The spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, debunked the report noting that the INEC office has not been and was not under any form of attack.

Also, the Kano state police spokesperson, Haruna Abdulahi, said it is a fake report.

VERDICT: INCORRECT.

SOURCES: Kano State Police Command, Kaduna State Police Command.

Claim 1

CLAIM: The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has withdrawn from the race and has asked his supporters to vote for Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

THE FINDINGS: The chief spokesperson of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, has debunked the viral claim in a press conference.

He said Obi is still in the race. Also, a search on the official Twitter handle of the LP presidential candidate showed he is still contesting as he urged his supporters to cast their votes in his favour.

VERDICT: INCORRECT.

SOURCE:  Yunusa Tanko

Nigerian Fact-checkers' Coalition

*This live-check was jointly researched and written by members of the Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC): Nurudeen Akewushola, Faith Abeka, Fatimah Quadri (FactCheckHub); Rosemary Ajayi (Digital Africa Research Lab); Daniel Adaji (The Insight); Elizabeth Ogunbamowo, Lois Ugbede, Cole Praise, Silas Jonathan, Lateef Sanni (Dubawa); Catherine Adeniyi, Motunrayo Joel, Allwell Okpi, Seyi Awojuyigbe, Fatimah Abubakar, Abisola Olasupo (Africa Check); Rejoice Ewodage, Hannah Ajakaiye (FactsMatterNG), Shehu Olayinka and Bamas Victoria (ICIR).

It was edited and approved for publication by Kemi Busari, Caroline Anipah, Simbiat Bakare (Dubawa), David Ajikobi (Africa Check), Ajibola Amzat, and Opeyemi Kehinde (FactCheckHub).

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