News
Did President Bola Tinubu Order Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu To Resign?
A report is spreading fast across social media.
It claims that Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has ordered the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to resign.
The reason? A serious health condition.
The claim has triggered concern, speculation, and heated discussions online.
But is this true? Or is this another case of misinformation dressed as breaking news?
[Context Setup]
The report gained traction on social media platforms and was amplified by blogs and online outlets, including Dockays World and Sahara Reporters.
According to the claim, Governor Sanwo-Olu is critically ill, and the President has directed him to step down.
Given the political weight of both figures, this is not a minor claim.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu has served as Lagos State Governor since 2019 and was re-elected in 2023.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos Governor himself, assumed office as President in 2023.
So, a directive like this would be major national news.
We investigated.
[Verification Step 1: Health Claim]
First, we examined the claim that the governor is seriously ill.
There are no credible reports from verified medical, government, or reputable media sources indicating that Governor Sanwo-Olu is suffering from any critical illness.
But we went further.
[Verification Step 2: Public Activity Check]
We reviewed the governor’s recent public engagements.
Here is what we found:
- On April 24, he swore in Permanent Secretaries and inaugurated the Lagos State Health Service Commission
- He attended a Governance Advisory Council meeting at Lagos House
- On April 26, he witnessed the signing of power purchase agreements
- On April 28, he was inducted into the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers
These are not the activities of someone incapacitated by serious illness.
They indicate active governance.
[Verification Step 3: Official Communication]
Next, we checked for official confirmation.
There is:
- No statement from the Presidency
- No communication from the Lagos State Government
- No directive from any federal authority
For a claim of this magnitude, silence from official channels is a major red flag.
[Verification Step 4: Direct Response]
We then checked for direct responses.
The Lagos State Government has publicly addressed the claim.
The governor’s media aide, Gboyega Akosile, described the report as false and misleading.
This is a clear denial from an official source.
[Verification Step 5: Media Cross-Check]
Finally, we reviewed coverage by major Nigerian media organisations.
Reputable outlets did not report this claim.
In journalism, absence of coverage by credible media—especially on a major political development—is significant.
It suggests the story lacks verification.
[Evidence Reveal]
So far:
- No credible evidence of illness
- Active public engagements by the governor
- No official directive from the President
- Direct denial from the Lagos State Government
- No confirmation from credible media
The pieces do not support the claim.
[Verdict]
FALSE
There is no evidence that Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered Babajide Sanwo-Olu to resign. The report is based on unverified claims and has been amplified without credible backing.
Available evidence shows that the governor is actively performing his duties, and the Lagos State Government has already dismissed the claim as false.
Did Tinubu Order Sanwo-Olu To Resign? | Fact-Check & Debunk Explained
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A series of images circulating across Facebook, Instagram, X, and WhatsApp appears to show women displaying underwear branded with the photograph of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf.
The images sparked widespread reactions.
Some social media users accused the governor of turning empowerment programmes into political propaganda. Others mocked what they described as an unusual and inappropriate distribution of government items.
The photographs seemed convincing.
Women could be seen holding up underwear allegedly bearing the governor’s image during what appeared to be a public gathering.
But did the governor actually distribute such items?
WABMA Debunker investigated.
The first step was to determine where the images originated.
A reverse image search led investigators to a video posted by Kano-based influencer and political supporter Fatima Nasir, popularly known as “Teemah Cool.”
The original footage showed women displaying underwear during a political gathering.
But there was a crucial difference.
The underwear visible in the original video did not contain Governor Abba Yusuf’s photograph.
This raised an important question.
If the governor’s image was absent in the original footage, how did it suddenly appear in the viral pictures?
To answer this, further forensic analysis was conducted on the circulating images.
The findings were revealing.
Digital examination showed signs of image manipulation. Analysis using SynthID Verifier detected evidence that portions of the viral images had been edited and artificially generated.
The governor’s photograph appeared to have been digitally inserted into the underwear after the original footage was recorded.
In other words, the images circulating online were not an accurate representation of what participants displayed at the event.
Investigators also examined claims that the underwear formed part of an official empowerment programme sponsored by the Kano State Government.
No evidence was found to support this assertion.
There were no government announcements, policy documents, media briefings, or credible news reports indicating that such items were distributed as part of any state empowerment initiative.
Further checks showed that the original gathering was linked to a political event in Kano during a visit by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
Participants reportedly engaged in symbolic political displays connected to local political rivalries.
Nothing in the available evidence suggests that Governor Abba Yusuf authorized, distributed, or endorsed underwear bearing his image.
So what is really true here?
The gathering shown in the original footage did occur.
Women were seen displaying underwear during the event.
What did not occur was the distribution of underwear branded with Governor Abba Yusuf’s photograph.
That element was added later through digital manipulation.
VERDICT
FALSE.
There is no evidence that Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf distributed women’s underwear branded with his photograph as empowerment items.
The viral images were digitally altered, with the governor’s image inserted into the original footage after it was recorded.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Manipulated images can spread rapidly online and create false impressions about public officials, government programmes, and political events.
As election related discussions intensify across Nigeria, altered photographs and AI generated content are becoming increasingly common tools for misinformation.
Verifying the source of an image and examining whether it has been digitally modified remain essential steps before sharing sensitive political content.
CONCLUSION
The claim is False. Reverse image searches traced the content to an original video posted by influencer Fatima Nasir (“Teemah Cool”), where no governor’s image appeared on the underwear. Forensic analysis found evidence of digital manipulation, and no official government records or credible media reports support the claim.
DID KANO GOVERNOR ABBA YUSUF DISTRIBUTE BRANDED UNDERWEAR TO WOMEN AS EMPOWERMENT ITEMS?
⚧️ Ep. 121–WABMA Fake News Debunker;
