Governor Yahaya Bello Lambasted President Bola Tinubu Over Godfatherism? Fact Emerges
- A screenshot of a tweet circulating on Facebook since early July 2023 claimed that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state said he could not forgive President Bola Tinubu
- The tweet appears to have been posted on @OfficialGYBKogi, Bello’s verified account on Twitter (the social media platform now known as X)
- But it has emerged that the viral screenshot is doctored and should be ignored by Nigerians
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Lokoja, Kogi state - A verified Twitter handle bearing the name of Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi state, seems to be critical of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The tweet criticised President Tinubu’s alleged godfatherism. Tinubu, 71, is renowned as Nigeria’s political kingmaker.
Messrs Tinubu and Bello are top members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In June 2022, Tinubu defeated Bello and 12 others to pick the APC's presidential ticket.
Source: Facebook
Ignore fake tweet of Bello criticising Tinubu
The purported condemnatory statement from Bello comes amid the coming Kogi governorship election slated for November.
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The tweet reads:
“Tinubu has no say in Kogi election come November 2023, I can't forget what he did to me during the Presidential primaries.
“I am in charge of my State and will not allow anyone intrude in my affairs.”
But did Governor Bello truly make that tweet? A fact-checking platform, Africa Check, scrutinised the claim.
The fact-checking organisation said it searched for the tweet on Bello’s verified Twitter account but could not find it.
There have been no credible media reports of Bello saying this to Tinubu.
On Wednesday, July 5, Bello dismissed the screenshot as “fake news”.
The governor wrote on his genuine Twitter account, @OfficialGYBKogi:
"Fake News alert. Photoshopped by Mischief makers. Please beware.
"God bless President @officialABAT God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Did Tinubu suspend courts in Nigeria?
In a piece of related article, Legit.ng spotlighted a false 'news report' by a Nigerian blog.
On July 26, Igbo Times Magazine published an article claiming President Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of all courts in charge of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Abuja.
The alleged suspension of courts was reportedly over a fear of his disqualification.
Source: Legit.ng
