AN image showing the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 election, Rabiu Kwankwaso, wearing a cap with an insignia associated with President Bola Tinubu, is circulating online.
The image is being shared alongside claims that Kwankwaso has defected from the NNPP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The viral claim emerged amid growing speculations over Kwankwaso’s political future following a leadership crisis within the NNPP.
Several users on X and Facebook shared the image suggesting Kwankwaso’s public alignment with President Tinubu.
An X user, @Onsogbu, posted the image with the caption:
“Kwankansiya now with Tinubu’s unbroken chain cap. Welcome Home sir! Life is simple.”
The post has garnered over 100 reposts and more than 700 likes as of April 16, 2025.
Similarly, a Facebook user, AMN, posted the picture with the caption:
“Kwankwaso Dumps NNPP to APC as he replaces Kwakwasiya Cap with Tinubu Cap.”
The image has been circulated widely across different platforms, such as here and here.
CLAIM
A photo shows Rabiu Kwankwaso recently wearing a cap bearing Tinubu’s ‘trademark’, indicating his defection to APC.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING and false.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is also a former governor of Kano State is widely recognised for his signature red cap, a symbol of the Kwankwasiyya movement. The red cap has become a strong identity marker for his followers and is consistently worn by Kwankwaso at public events and political gatherings.
On the other hand, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is known for his trademark cap featuring the “broken chain” or “infinity” insignia. His supporters often adorn caps with this distinctive symbol as a show of loyalty.
Recently, there have been persistent rumours that Kwankwaso is considering defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) amid a leadership crisis within the NNPP. These speculations have fuelled the spread of misleading content online.
The FactCheckHub subjected keyframes from the viral image to a Google Reverse Image Search. Results show that the original version of the photo was first published on the official Facebook page of the NNPP on November 8, 2022.
The original picture was taken at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State when Kwankwaso was received by party supporters.
In the authentic image, Kwankwaso was wearing the signature red cap of the Kwankwasiyya movement, not a cap bearing Tinubu’s insignia.
This indicates that the viral picture was digitally manipulated to create the false impression that Kwankwaso was wearing a Tinubu-branded cap.
As of the time of filing this fact check, there is no credible media report or official statement from Kwankwaso or his team suggesting that he has detected to APC.
THE VERDICT
The claim that Rabiu Kwankwaso wore a cap bearing President Bola Tinubu’s insignia and defected to APC is MISLEADING and false; the image was digitally altered.
This report is republished from the Factheckhub.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.