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.

⚧️ Ep. 121–WABMA Fake News Debunker;

⚧️Has Davido been appointed Campaign Head for Ademola Adeleke | WABMA Debunker Ep.121?

• Let’s examine the facts 👇

🙏Pls. Watch, like & subscribe to our channel! WABMA, in collaboration with media professionals, continues the fight against fake news and misinformation across social and traditional media.

FMI: Visit our website for more verified insights: projectfactchecknigeria.org

Nigeria #FactCheck #BreakingNews #wabmadebunkernews

A video making the rounds on Facebook, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms claims that former President Goodluck Jonathan has thrown his weight behind Peter Obi’s alleged 2027 presidential ambition.

The video appears convincing.

It shows Jonathan and Obi smiling warmly and shaking hands. Across the footage is a bold inscription:

“2027 GOODLUCK JONATHAN BACKS PETER OBI”

For many viewers, the message seems straightforward. Two prominent political figures meet. A caption announces an endorsement. The conclusion appears obvious.

But is it true?

WABMA Debunker investigated.

The first question was simple: When was this video recorded?

If Jonathan had indeed endorsed Peter Obi for the 2027 election, there should be evidence of such a major political declaration in credible news reports, official statements, or public remarks from either camp.

Our checks found none.

We then subjected key frames from the viral video to reverse image searches and traced the footage to an earlier event.

The result was revealing.

The video was not recorded during any recent 2027 political activity.

Instead, it originated from a meeting between Peter Obi and former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2022, ahead of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election.

The original footage was published by Channels Television and reported by several mainstream news organizations at the time.

Further examination of reports from that meeting showed that while the two political figures met and exchanged views, Jonathan did not endorse Peter Obi for president.

No statement of political backing was issued.

No declaration of support for Obi’s candidacy was made.

The viral claim appears to have emerged only after a new caption was digitally added to the old footage.

The misleading caption transformed a routine political meeting from 2022 into what appears to be a fresh endorsement story.

What about recent meetings between the two men?

Checks show that Goodluck Jonathan has recently met privately with Peter Obi and other political actors as consultations ahead of evolving political developments.

But even here, the evidence does not support the viral claim.

Peter Obi himself described the interactions as consultations and discussions. No endorsement announcement followed the meetings, and no credible source reported Jonathan backing Obi for the 2027 election.

So what is really true here?

The video itself is genuine.

The people shown in it are indeed Goodluck Jonathan and Peter Obi.

The meeting actually took place.

What is false is the narrative attached to the footage.

An old video from 2022 was recycled and repackaged with a misleading caption to create the impression that Jonathan recently endorsed Obi for the 2027 presidential election.

VERDICT

FALSE.

There is no credible evidence that former President Goodluck Jonathan has endorsed Peter Obi for the 2027 presidential election.

The viral video uses authentic footage from a 2022 meeting ahead of the 2023 election but falsely presents it as a recent endorsement.

WHY THIS MATTERS

As Nigeria gradually moves toward another election cycle, recycled videos and misleading political content are likely to become more common.

Old footage taken out of context can easily shape public opinion and influence political discussions.

Before sharing politically sensitive content, citizens should verify when the footage was recorded, who originally published it, and whether credible sources support the claims being made.