FACT CHECK: Did TB Joshua’s wife promise Peter Obi 8 million votes?

Several posts circulating on social media claim that the wife of late TB Joshua has promised eight million votes to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

In a YouTube video posted by News Express Nigeria TV on July 17, it was reported that Evelyn Joshua, wife of the late TB Joshua, had thrown her weight behind the LP candidate ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The video which was headlined: “2023 Presidency: Evelyn TB Joshua Promises Peter Obi 8 Million Votes” gathered more than 530 views. 

The claim also appeared on several Facebook pages.  

On a particular Facebook page named Nolly Roll with over 3 million followers, the post gathered over 10,000 likes, 1,300 comments and 724 shares. 

Many of the Facebook pages that shared the post had similar captions, accompanied by the image of the late pastor, or that of his wife, and in some cases, a collage of both. 

“I will give Peter Obi 8 million votes from my church. I never endorsed any political candidate before. But Peter Obi is more than a political candidate. He is a movement under who Nigeria will be great again,” reads the recurring caption on Facebook. 

The post was also shared on Twitter.

Verification

TheCable reached out to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) to get either Evelyn Joshua’s reaction or that of the church, with respect to the circulating claim, but the calls were not answered and subsequently, the lines were unreachable. 

We searched the verified social media platforms related to the church and that of the late founder.

It was discovered that on July 15, through the verified Facebook and Instagram handle of TB Joshua Ministries, a statement was published in reaction to media claims alleging that Evelyn Joshua prophesied victory for a certain candidate in the 2023 general election.  

The post said: “Our attention has been drawn to various social media posts falsely claiming that Pastor Evelyn Joshua has prophesied victory for a certain candidate in the 2023 Nigerian general elections. Please disregard the posts, as no such prophecy was given by Pastor Evelyn Joshua. We also want to remind you that every authentic message from The SCOAN is given only on Emmanuel TV and all our social media handles.”

In a search on the Facebook timeline of TB Joshua Ministries, it was discovered that on June 20, the exact post was also shared.

However, no comments were made about the eight million votes for Obi. 

TheCable reached out to Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party. 

According to him, “a lot of people are supporting Peter Obi in different ways and we are not opposing any form of genuine support”. He added that “Nigerians truly want a change”.

In response to the specific claim about the promised eight million votes, Abule said “the Synagogue church has not contacted the party or Peter Obi in any way”.

Verdict

The claim that Evelyn Joshua promised to provide the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) with eight million votes is false.