Claim: A Twitter user shared an image of the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alleging the image was from the Labour Party in Lagos.
Verdict: FALSE
Our findings show that Sanwo-Olu was not at the Labour Party Rally.
Full Text
With the 2023 general election just a few hours away, the Labour Party held its final state campaign rally in Lagos State at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Onikan, on Saturday, February 11, 2023.
During this campaign, the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, made a few stops at some parts of the state, including Alaba and Idumota, to drum up more support for his candidacy before arriving at TBS. Large crowds gathered at different points visited by the Labour Party presidential candidate despite reports of attacks on supporters by suspected political thugs.
Social media was awash with different images and videos from this rally with several narratives. Amid this, a Twitter user, Nwa (@Ozoadaz), in a post, alleged that the Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was at the rally of the Labour Party.
“APC Lagos state Governor Sanwo-Olu at Peter Obi campaign today Tinubu on your own” claims that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was present at the Labour Party Rally,” the post reads.
Christopher VOTE 🗳 LP (@oweikpodor), in reply to the message, posted these images with the caption “@EmirSirdam Now, even Tinubu boy no LAGOS STATE is in danger(sic).”
The same Twitter handle, Nwa (@Ozoadaz), on the same day posted again, “E Choke Lagos governor Sanwo-Olu At TBS ObiDatti campaign today We go still vote @GRVlagos for Lagos governor” with more images of the Labour party vice presidential candidate and the Lagos state government claiming that the governor was at the Labour Party rally in Lagos state.
Another handle Olúwamáyọ̀wá ÀKÀNNÍ @iam_mayoor, posted, “Even your soon ex-governor was at the rally #PeterObi4President2023”
Screenshot of the Twitter post by Oluwamayowa.We thought it necessary to verify this claim because images can be used to misrepresent situations or used in the wrong context.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a reverse image search which led to the original image post by Jubril Gawat @Mr_JAGs, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor of Lagos State, on New Media on Twitter at an earlier time (6:57 PM).
“Their VP went to chill at Polo Club jejely and quickly used the opportunity to hail the big boss, the Performing Governor,” the tweet reads.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2023 Kwame KariKari Fellowship partnership with BONews to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.