Multiple social media posts have claimed that the Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Adamu, referred to Peter Obi, the presidential flag-bearer of the Labour Party in respect of the forthcoming 2023 election, as “the incoming President of Nigeria” and “the hope” of the country.
NEWSBREAK reports that the claim has been shared widely on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, and internet forum like Nairaland.
CLAIM
The speaker in the video said: “…The other critical and important stakeholders that are here, the pillars of hope, the pillars of peace, may The Almighty continue to bless you, and also unite you (audience say ‘amin’).”
He added: “With respect to our incoming president InShaaAllah, Alhaji Dr. Comrade Peter Obi, our president-to-be InShaaAllah; our vice-president-to-be InShaaAllah, the son of Bauchi… all of us, we know that he (Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed) grew up here in Bauchi.”
Posts regarding the said claim can be found here, here and here.
The post below on Twitter by an apparent Obi supporter has garnered over 7, 000 views.
The Emir of Bauchi during Peter Obi and Datti’s visit in Bauchi called Peter Obi the incoming President of Nigeria and the hope for NIGERIA. PO’s acceptance in the north is gaining ground.
Tomorrow he will be in Borno with his team to continue campaign for the Presidential seat. pic.twitter.com/WdmeMZ0Rme— NKEM #PeterObi2023 (@Nkemchor_) January 27, 2023
As seen above, a YouTube video of the claim has accrued 9,000+ views.
Backstory
As part of his electioneering, Obi, a former governor of Anambra State who is considered among the top contenders for the 2023 presidency, was in Bauchi State on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
There, the 61-year-old attended his party’s presidential campaign rally at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi State, North-Eastern Nigeria.
He also seized the opportunity to pay homage to Emir Adamu at his palace — just like other popular candidates do.
CHECK
There was nothing in the 48-second video that affirms that the speaker was Emir Adamu.
Someone could be clearly heard speaking with a microphone, but the video, which shows the traditional ruler and Obi seated on a chair, didn’t depict the former as the one speaking at that moment.
VERDICT
The widely-circulated claim that the Emir of Bauchi addressed Obi as “Alhaji, Doctor, Comrade, and incoming President of Nigeria”, is misleading.
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