Online, there have been mixed reactions to this news. Some have hailed the move for removing barriers to employment, while others say it鈥檚 a smokescreen that shies away from addressing the root causes of unemployment.

Background

At the plenary on Wednesday, the Senate adopted a motion. It had the title 鈥淎ge Requirement Pre-condition for Employment in Nigeria, Urgent Need for Intervention.鈥� Abba Moro, a PDP senator from Benue South, sponsored this motion.

Moro argued that age limits were discriminatory and violated of the Nigerian Constitution. The section touches on the right to freedom from discrimination.

Moro also cited the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a UN agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice. He argued that economic discrimination fell short of the ILO鈥檚 standards.

Download the Citizen Election Report: Navigating Nigeria鈥檚 Political Journey

In Moro鈥檚 words, it was pathetic 鈥渢hat a graduate in Nigeria who could not get a job upon graduation and decided to back to school with the hope that a higher qualification, vis-a-vis a second or Masters Degree, could give him a better employment opportunity is thrown into a career paradox when upon completion of his Master鈥檚 Degree he comes out to find that he is now above the age of employment and therefore not employable by the sole reason of his age.鈥�

He , 鈥淚t is ironical that a graduate in this country can serve in the National Youth Service Corps programme at age 30 but cannot be gainfully employed after that on the fact that he/ she is now above 30 years, a situation that is a flagrant breach of his fundamental rights.鈥�

Moro noted that this discrimination created a breeding ground for age fraud within the Nigerian Civil Service and beyond.

What else should you know?

The Senate is asking the Federal Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Productivity, and other related agencies to dissuade private employers from turning away people based on age. It also wants the ministry to develop policies that grant equal access and treatment in the workplace.

All of this remains tentative. But if it passes into law, older Nigerians of employable age might heave a sigh鈥攅ven if temporary鈥攐f relief.

On Wait First, we sort claims into three categories. If it鈥檚 true, it gets a fresh banana rating from us. A false claim is burnt dodo, and a misleading claim is cold zobo.

So, is this claim valid? Did Adeleke nominate his daughter and uncle as commissioners?

[Ademola Adeleke / Daily Post]

Background

On July 7, the Osun State House of Assembly confirmed the list of 25 commissioner-nominees forwarded to the House for screening and confirmation by Governor Adeleke. 

Among the names that made the list were Adenike Adeleke and Moruf Adeleke. The two share the same surname as the governor. Following the announcement, there were reactions on social media criticising the governor for presumably appointing his relatives into government. Some online news platforms also ran with this news.

Our partners, FactCheckElections, noted that 鈥渟ocial media users reacting to the claim viewed the purported appointment as a 鈥榙ouble standard/nepotism鈥� and inappropriate in government.鈥�

Verification

FactCheckElections looked into the claim. Here鈥檚 :

鈥淭丑别 spokesperson to the state governor, Olawale Rasheed, has debunked the viral claim that his principal nominated his daughter and uncle for commissioner. 

Contrary to the narratives making the rounds that two of the commissioner-nominees are Adeleke鈥檚 daughter and uncle, Rasheed told the media that the nominees are not the governor鈥檚 family. 

They are 鈥榖onafide indigenes of Osogbo Land鈥�, he said. 

He added: Prof Adeleke was born in Ilesa and hails from Osogbo, the state capital. Mrs Adeleke is the daughter of Chief Omidiran of Osogbo Land and wife of the late Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke.鈥�

FactCheckElections reports that the governor is from the Adeleke family of Ede in Osun State.

Verdict

The claim that Governor Ademola Adeleke nominated his relatives to commissioner positions is misleading and, therefore, cold zobo.

The confusion stems from the fact that they share the same surname. However, it has now been confirmed that they are not from the same bloodline as the governor. 

Download the Citizen Election Report: Navigating Nigeria鈥檚 Political Journey

On Wait First, we sort claims into three categories. If it鈥檚 true, it gets a fresh banana rating from us. A false claim is burnt dodo, and a misleading claim is cold zobo.

So is this video true, or is it doctored?

Background

Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He has, however, been in the custody of the Department of State Services since his . He was initially captured in October 2015 but escaped. His current incarceration is happening despite a court order mandating his release. 

According to fact-checkers at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), the IPOB first issued a sit-at-home order in August 2021. The order grinds all economic activity to a halt in the southeastern part of Nigeria. According to the IPOB, it will be held every Monday until Nnamdi Kanu is released. The order was revised to only occur on days when Kanu was due in court.

, “On June 14 2023, Finland-based Simon Ekpa, leader of Autopilot (a faction of IPOB), issued a statement which declared a five-day sit-at-home order in the southeastern part of Nigeria. Ekpa stated that the order would hold from 3 to 5 July and continue from 7 to 10 July.鈥� 

ALSO, READ: Who鈥檚 This Simon Ekpa Guy Running IPOB?

Verification

The CDD fact-checked the video. Here鈥檚 what they found:

鈥淭丑别 CDD War Room can confirm that the video emanated from Abakaliki, Ebonyi state. The video was not doctored, and investigations proved that it first surfaced online on July 4, 2023.

Credible media agencies like and have reported that the incident did occur at the Ishieke market in Ebonyi state. 

However, it鈥檚 not certain whether the gunmen are members of IPOB or otherwise. 

IPOB is yet to claim responsibility or deny the activities of the gunmen.鈥�

Verdict

The claim that gunmen attacked and shot at a marketplace in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, on July 4, 2023, is true and, therefore, fresh banana. However, IPOB is yet to claim responsibility for it.

Download the Citizen Election Report: Navigating Nigeria鈥檚 Political Journey

For instance, there鈥檚 a YouTube channel dedicated to telling jokes using AI-generated voices and the visuals of former US presidents. For the uninitiated, it looks genuine. See , for example.聽

In another one, a photo of the Pope in a white hoodie took Twitter by storm. It was later found to be AI-generated.

While it may seem harmless fun to some, fake images can have grave consequences. In May, a falsified photo of an explosion near the US Pentagon in what some consider the first instance of an AI-generated image moving the market.

In Nigeria, leading up to the elections, fake images of presidential candidates and their allies made the rounds. Many of these made their way to WhatsApp groups and stoked ethnic sentiments that influenced how people voted.

For this week鈥檚 episode of Wait First, we look at ways to identify fake photos and how to protect yourself from sharing fake news.

How to spot fake photos online

Fact-checkers, Dubawa identifying five ways to spot fake images. In summary:

1. Check the source. Look for the source of the photo. If it鈥檚 from a reputable organisation or a known photographer, it鈥檚 more likely to be authentic.
2. Look for inconsistencies. Check for photo inconsistencies, such as mismatched shadows, unnatural lighting, or distorted proportions. 
3. Check the metadata. Most digital photos contain metadata that includes information such as the date, time, and location of the photo. Check this information to see if it matches the context of the photo.
4. Use Reverse Image Search. Use a reverse image search engine like Google Images, Tineye, or Yandex to see if the photo has been used elsewhere on the internet. If it has been used in multiple contexts, it may be fake.
5. Consult experts. Consult with forensic analysts, photojournalists, or digital forensic experts if you鈥檙e still unsure about the image’s authenticity.

What else should you know?

Besides the above points, Deutsche Welle (DW), the news agency, has also to help shield you from falling victim to fake images.

1. Zoom in and look carefully.
2. Watch out for typical AI errors. AI-generated images tend to have one too many fingers. In the example of the Pope above, did you notice that his left fingers were unusually long and that there were only four of them? Also, look out for too many teeth or weird glass frames. The is an AI tool that generates photos of people who don鈥檛 exist.
3. Check for unusual smoothing. If the hair or skin looks exceptionally flawless, there鈥檚 a good chance it鈥檚 fake.
4. Examine the background. Sometimes, the backgrounds of AI images tend to be blurred or have distorted objects.
5. If you encounter an image on Twitter whose authenticity you’re unsure of, you can tag the handle . It does reverse image searches and can check if an image is real or AI-generated.

[ image of Will Smith. Note the blurry background]

Despite these tips, technology is constantly advancing, and AI is adapting to overcome its flaws. Ultimately, the best bet is to remain sceptical and apply common sense. Don鈥檛 be too eager to share a photo if it鈥檚 not verified. When in doubt, leave it out.

Download the Citizen Election Report: Navigating Nigeria鈥檚 Political Journey

[Nasir El-Rufai / Vanguard]

The comments have and offline, with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) asking Nigerians .

El-Rufai was addressing Muslim clerics in Kaduna at an event where he was handing over to Sani. The speech, which was in Hausa, has been transcribed by . Here鈥檚 the transcript below: 

Transcript

鈥淲hy did I pick Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe as my deputy in 2019? First, I calculated that most of those, not Muslims, don鈥檛 vote for our party. Most of them. So, why should I give them the deputy (governor) position? I did my calculation, and I knew we could win the election without giving them (the position of deputy governor). That鈥檚 first. That鈥檚 a purely political issue. It鈥檚 politics. You want to win an election and seek people to vote for you. We have observed that since we started practising democracy, we know places we used to win elections and those places we don鈥檛. We鈥檝e done that calculation politically. That鈥檚 the political point of it.

Secondly, what we wanted to prove to people, and thank God in the last four years, we鈥檝e vindicated ourselves and proved that a government that has a Muslim as governor, a Muslim as deputy governor, a Muslim as SSG (secretary of state government), a Muslim as chief of staff, a Muslim as finance commissioner, we鈥檒l not cheat Christians in Kaduna State. And everywhere we go, we tell them, Yes, that鈥檚 it; the top government hierarchy in Kaduna State are Muslims, but can any Christian in Kaduna prove that we鈥檝e oppressed them? Is there any district that we didn鈥檛 renovate schools? Is there any district we didn鈥檛 construct a hospital? Anywhere that we didn鈥檛 build roads? Is there anywhere we didn鈥檛 help farmers, whether they voted for us? We鈥檝e given everyone their entitlements.

Of course, Kubau (Local Government Area) voted for us the most (in Northern Kaduna), so I鈥檒l add something to Kubau because they voted for us. What I鈥檒l give Jaba, I鈥檒l increase it for Kubau because Jaba didn鈥檛 vote for us. But we鈥檝e given them their entitlements.

You, Imams and Ulamas, taught us that leadership in Islam is all about justice. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions lived with those that were not Muslims, including Jews, Christians and even pagans, but they addressed him as El-Amin (trusted one) because he treated them with fairness. Caliphs like Abubakar, Umar, Usman, and Ali did justice to those who were not Muslims. Nobody can say he was oppressed for not being a Muslim. But you鈥檒l prefer the ones who support you. But don鈥檛 oppress any.

I always tell them. During this campaign season, they said 鈥渢his and that,鈥� and I replied 鈥榊es, we鈥檙e looking for those who can deliver. We鈥檙e not looking at your religion. Of course, we consider the religious aspect, but I can鈥檛 say that. But what I am saying is, who is being oppressed? Open up and tell us if this government has treated you unjustly. No answer. Well, no one can say he is used to being engaged in criminal activities, used to being idle, but we stopped that. Or you were used to blocking the road, and we said if you do it again, this will be the consequences, and you know we can do it.

That鈥檚 what we鈥檝e done for four years, myself and my team. And that鈥檚 what we still did, and Senator Uba Sani and Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe still won their election (as governor and deputy) even with the religious gang up against us. You, the Imams and Ulamas here, were the ones who did the work, not even the politicians, because the politicians even betrayed us. And he, Senator Uba Sani, knows this. We know it. We鈥檙e aware of those who collected money on election day but switched off their phones, slept off and didn鈥檛 even bother to come out for the election. But we know the First Aid group members that served as polling agents. 

Those we paid to protect the votes didn鈥檛 do so, but the first aid group members did. And we鈥檙e grateful for that, and may God reward you and how you dedicated yourself and supported us. In the name of God, I beg you to support Senator Uba Sani when he finishes his first four years. Re-elect him into office. Then we can continue to prove to people that Islamic leadership doesn鈥檛 discriminate but doesn鈥檛 condone deliberate mocking. It doesn鈥檛 condone indignity. That鈥檚 the only thing we want to prove, and we鈥檝e started, but this is not the end; we鈥檒l have to do it for at least twenty years, which will make everyone understand.

After Uba finishes his tenure and gets re-elected, that鈥檒l be sixteen, right? (El Rufai served two terms of eight years as governor). Then we鈥檒l have another tenure which will make it 24 years. That is when everyone will understand and say, 鈥極kay, we understand, we know our status, and we know the Muslims will not oppress us.鈥� That鈥檚 it. And you鈥檒l see that there will be peace. I swear to God, this has been our plan from the first day we started APC in the state, and God has been helping us with your prayers and commitment. We鈥檙e on the right path. May God bless you all.鈥�

On Wait First, we divide claims into three categories. A valid claim is a fresh banana. A false claim is a burnt dodo. And a misleading claim is cold zobo.

So, how valid is this claim?

Background

According to the by Daily Trust, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) devalued the naira from 鈧�461.6 to 鈧�6鈥�31 to the dollar. It then sold at the new rate in the 鈥淚mporters and Exporters (I&E)鈥� window on May 31. 

Nigeria currently runs a multiple exchange rate system. The CBN provides its rates, and the parallel market, commonly known as the black market, provides another. The gulf between the two creates arbitrage. This is a situation where people trade in currencies by taking advantage of differing prices for the same currency. 

As of May 31, the was 鈧�461.26 to the dollar. 

The for the same day was 鈧�750 to the dollar.

Verification

Not long after the news report was released, the CBN released a screenshot describing it as 鈥渇ake news鈥�.

The CBN then followed up with signed by its acting director of corporate communications, Isa AbdulMumin. It read:

鈥淭丑别 attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to a news report by Daily Trust Newspaper of June 1, 2023, titled 鈥楥BN Devalues Naira To 630/$1鈥�.

We wish to state categorically that this news report, which in the imagination of the newspaper is exclusive, is replete with outright FALSEHOODS and destabilising innuendos, reflecting potentially willful ignorance of the said medium as to the workings of the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market.

For the avoidance of doubt, the exchange rate at the Investors鈥� and Exporters鈥� (I&E) window traded this morning (June 1, 2023) at 鈧�465/$ and has been stable around this rate for a while.

The public is hereby advised to ignore this news report by Daily Trust in its entirety, as it is speculative and calculated at causing panic in the market.

Media practitioners are advised to verify their facts from the Central Bank of Nigeria before publishing in order not to misinform the public.鈥�

Verdict

The CBN has come out to state that the claim by Daily Trust is emphatically false. Therefore this news is nothing but burnt dodo.

Hi friend! For the past few months, we鈥檝e helped you say on top of Nigerian politics, policies and governance or have we? In less than 2 mins, tell us what you think about 91大神 Citizen , and we owe you an interesting story next week.

The user followed up his claim with a photo of Obi in conversation with some lawyers in court. As of the time of writing, has been viewed over 412k times. 

A self-acclaimed leader of the IPOB, Simon Ekpa, also tweeted on May 9, 2023, that Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who is Nnamdi Kanu鈥檚 counsel and appears in the photo above, is part of Obi鈥檚 legal team.

On Wait First, we divide claims into three categories. A valid claim is a fresh banana. A false claim is burnt dodo. And a misleading claim is cold zobo.

So, how valid is this claim?

ALSO READ: Who鈥檚 This Simon Ekpa Guy Running IPOB?

Verification

Fact-checkers at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) . Here鈥檚 what they found:

In January 2022, following his apprehension by the Nigerian government, Nnamdi Kanu appointed Mike Ozekhome as his lead counsel in his case against the FG. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, one of Kanu鈥檚 lawyers, .

Is Mike Ozekhome representing Peter Obi at the Election Tribunal? 

鈥淭丑别 prepared by Obi鈥檚 legal team includes a list of the legal practitioners representing the petitioner. Mike Ozekhome鈥檚 name does not appear on the list.

鈥淲e, however, found Ozekhome to be among the legal team of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was The team included his name in the that was submitted.

鈥淔urther investigation revealed that Ozekhome and Atiku have had a clientele relationship since 2017. He is also currently representing the latter in the filed by Festus Keyamo. 

鈥淎nother senior lawyer in the attached image to the tweet is We found that the , has never represented Nnamdi Kanu or the IPOB secessionist group.鈥�

Verdict

The claim that lawyers representing Peter Obi at the presidential election tribunal also represent Nnamdi Kanu is burnt dodo. It鈥檚 false.

Can you handle the hotness of 91大神鈥檚 Hertitude? Click to buy your ticket and find out.

On Wait First, we divide claims into three categories. A valid claim is a fresh banana. A false claim is a burnt dodo. And a misleading claim is a cold zobo.

So, is this claim valid?

ALSO READ 鈥� Explainer: All the Petitions Filed Against BAT鈥檚 Presidency

Background

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) winner of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023. INEC declared BAT the winner with 8,794,726 votes. However, several political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Action Peoples Party (APP), filed petitions challenging the election results.

The pre-hearing of the presidential tribunal, which started on May 8, 2023, will address these petitions. Peter Obi filed a joint petition with his party raising five 鈥減rayers鈥� against the declared winner, BAT, his running mate, the APC, and INEC.

One of the petitions Obi and his party filed focuses on BAT’s eligibility in the concluded presidential election. Obi alleges that BAT was linked to drug trafficking by a US court. This then led to his forfeiture of $460,000 to the American government. He argues that, as a result, BAT is not qualified to contest the Nigerian presidency.聽

This fact check aims to see if the claim that a court has dismissed the drug petition is valid.

Verification

We looked into this claim with support from our partners, FactCheck Elections. Here鈥檚 :

鈥淔补肠迟颁丑别肠办贰濒别肠迟颈辞苍蝉 that the presidential elections tribunal commenced its pre-hearing on May 8, 2023, and made a sitting on the petition filed by Peter Obi and the Labour Party challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.聽聽

reported that the Justice Tsamani-led panel announced it would commence its pre-hearing session with three petitions. They are the petitions by Action Alliance (AA) marked: CA/PEPC/01/2023; Action Peoples Party (APP) marked: CA/PEPC/02/2023 and Peter Obi & Labour Party (LP) marked: CA/PEPC/03/2023.

The Guardian reported the Tribunal on Monday dismissed the petition by the AA challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election after the AA withdrew its petition at the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja, prompting the dismissal. According to , AA gave no reason for the withdrawal.聽

However, , in its timed live update at the inaugural sitting, did not report the dismissal of any of Peter Obi鈥檚 petitions. The court announced an adjournment of the case till May 10, 2023. This was reported at around 1:00 p.m. on May 8, 2023.聽

No reputable news or media platform reported the news of the dismissal of any of Peter Obi鈥檚 petitions.鈥�

The case has been again to May 17, 2023, 鈥渢o enable parties to harmonise their processes.鈥�

Verdict

The claim that Peter Obi鈥檚 drug petition against BAT has been dismissed is false and, therefore, burnt dodo. Hearings on the matter will resume on May 17, 2023.

On Wait First, we divide claims into three categories. A valid claim is fresh banana. A false claim is burnt dodo. And a misleading claim is cold zobo.

So, how valid is this claim?

Verification

We looked into news reports to see if any Bills banning protests had recently been passed. There were none. The , an NGO that promotes civic participation by, among other ways, tracking Bills being read at the National Assembly, had no report on this Bill. We also looked at the Twitter handle of the . It has no record of this Bill. 

We were, however, able to identify a news report by from July 2021. It mentioned a Bill that claimed to propose a five-year jail term for unlawful protesters. This Bill, which generated controversy, was sponsored by Emeka Chinedu, representing Ahiazu Mbaise and Ehinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency of Imo state. In an interview with , Chinedu clarified that his sponsored Bill only condemned mob action, not protesters.

His words

鈥淭丑别 caption of the Bill that went viral was never my intent or opinion. Neither was it an embodiment of the Bill I sponsored that passed the first reading on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Hence, a clear case of misunderstanding, misconception and misrepresentation of the facts.

鈥淎s a representative of the people, whose political idealogy is rooted in democratic tenets, I can never be a party to a system that seeks to stifle or cripple dissenting voices whose right to freedom of assembly, expression and protest is guaranteed by the combined effort of section 39 and 40 of 1999 Constitution as amended, as well as Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and People鈥檚 Right to assemble freely.

鈥淲hile I urge Nigerians to imbibe the culture of reading beyond newspaper captions to comprehend the body of a message, it is imperative to put the record straight to douse tension and allay the concerns of my teeming adherents.

鈥淭丑别 Criminal Code Amendment Bill, 2021, did not discuss criminalising protests or protesters in Nigeria. Rather, it is a Bill that proactively seeks to preserve life and protect the killing of the innocent through mob action, known as 鈥榡ungle justice鈥� in our local parlance.鈥�

Verdict

The tweet about a Bill to criminalise protests is based on events that happened in 2021 that have been debunked. The poster presented it as new information that no available evidence can support. The claim is, therefore, misleading and is cold zobo.

Did Peter Obi Pay a Visit to BAT, Gbaja, Sanwo and Dangote?

On April 28, 2023, a Twitter user @donortez that appeared to show the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in company with the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT), businessman Aliko Dangote, Speaker of the HOR, Femi Gbajabiamila and Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.聽

The poster claimed that the meeting took place after Jumat, which refers to the prayers by Muslims on Friday. This tweet which was still up at the time of writing, has been viewed over 95,000 times.

So how valid is this claim?

Verification 

Our partners at FactCheck Elections , and here鈥檚 what they found:

鈥淭丑别 original photograph featured Aliko Dangote and BAT, but not Peter Obi. The photograph was taken during a previous meeting between the two men, which has been misrepresented by the person who manipulated the image.

鈥淣o credible evidence supports the claim that Peter Obi visited BAT recently. No major news outlet or credible source has reported such a meeting, and no photographic or video evidence has been produced to support the claim.

鈥淯pon closer examination, it is clear that the photograph has been manipulated. The image of Peter Obi has been superimposed onto the photograph, creating the false impression that he was present at the meeting. This manipulation is common on social media, where users frequently create and share false or misleading images to gain attention or spread false information.鈥�

Verdict

No evidence exists of any such meeting taking place between Obi and BAT. The photo has been dismissed as a doctored one. Therefore this is burnt dodo and should be treated as false.

On Wait First, we divide claims into three categories. A valid claim is fresh banana. A misleading claim is cold zobo, while an outrightly false claim is burnt dodo.

So, how valid is this claim?

Some background

[Peter Obi / Africa Report]

Peter Obi, the Labour Party鈥檚 (LP) presidential candidate, had a staggered time in office as governor of Anambra state. In 2003, he contested for governor under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Chris Ngige was declared the winner, but in a lengthy court battle, the victory was overturned at the Supreme Court. Obi was reinstated as the election winner and assumed office in March 2006. 

Obi was impeached in November 2006 and reclaimed his mandate following another court ruling. He returned to office in February 2007. He was removed again after the 2007 election but was reinstated by the Supreme Court. Obi won reelection and served as a two-term governor from March 2006 to March 2014.

Obi鈥檚 performance as governor has come under intense scrutiny since he declared his intention to run for president, particularly as his campaign promises hinged on combatting poverty. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced him third in the presidential election with 6,101,533 votes. 

Poverty is more than just a number. It’s a complex issue that affects many aspects of a person’s life. shows that poverty rates are measured by income levels falling below the poverty line. But poverty is not a one-dimensional problem that can be summed up with a single indicator. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is the go-to agency in Nigeria for collecting, analysing, and disseminating crucial statistical information that helps understand the socioeconomic realities of the country’s citizens.

Verification

Our partners FactCheck Elections, . Here鈥檚 what they found.

鈥淔indings by FactCheckElections revealed the National Poverty Rates For Nigeria: 2003-04 (Revised) and 2009-10 (Abridged Report). The report showed that Anambra had 41.4% state-level headcount per capita poverty measure in 2003-04 and 53.7% in 2009-10.聽

鈥淭丑别 National Poverty Rates For Nigeria: 2003-04 (Revised) And 2009-10 (Abridged Report) capture poverty rates across Nigeria with the Absolute Poverty Approach (using a per capita approach of assigning 3000 calories requirement for an adult).

[Source: NBS]

鈥淔actcheckElection can find no official data report on the poverty rate between 2011 鈥� 2018. Aside from forecasts and predictions, there鈥檚 no absolute poverty study in those years. According to a reply by Dr Yemi Kale (former statistician general of Nigeria), 鈥楴BS has not conducted any absolute poverty study since 2009鈥�.

鈥淗owever,聽 there is a 2019 published by the NBS. The report showed Anambra had a poverty rate of 14.78%.鈥�

Verdict

So what鈥檚 the status of the claim? Based on data from the , Anambra鈥檚 state-level headcount per capita poverty increased from 41.4% in 2003-04 to 53.7% in 2009-10. Peter Obi was governor between 2006 and 2014. So the claim is partly true, and we give it a banana rating. However, no official data shows the poverty rate when he left office in 2014.