FACT CHECK: Is Aregbesola’s dance video linked to nullification of Oyetola’s guber candidacy?

A video showing Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior and former governor of Osun state, dancing has surfaced online.

On Twitter, the video was shared with the claim that the minister was dancing to celebrate the nullification of Gboyega Oyetola, governor of Osun, as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recent election in the state.

The post was shared by a Twitter user, @IfedolapoOsun, on Friday, September 30, the same day the federal high court in Abuja nullified the nomination of Gboyega Oyetola and his deputy, Benedict Alabi, as guber candidates of the APC.

The video gathered over 23,400 views, 879 likes and 352 retweets.

Aregbesola Today after Court Nullified Gboyega Oyetola's candidacy 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/2fEi8tbS1P

— Governor Ifedolapo Osun (@IfedolapoOsun) September 30, 2022

The video was shared with the caption “Aregbesola Today after Court Nullified Gboyega Oyetola’s candidacy”.

The Twitter account where the video was shared has the photo of Ademola Adeleke as its profile picture. This misled some unsuspecting Twitter users to think that the video was shared by Ademola Adeleke, the governor-elect of Osun. 

Background

Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, gave the ruling in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/468/2022 and filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In the suit, Mai Mala Buni, former acting chairman of the APC, and four others were defendants.

Nwite, in his judgment, held that the nomination of Oyetola and his deputy was unlawful and unconstitutional because Buni, who submitted their names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), violated the provisions of section 183 of the constitution and section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

Verification

Checks by TheCable showed that the video was uploaded on Monday, September 26 by a Facebook user, Ajiboye Maroof Akinlabi, with the description: “Minister of Interior Ogbeni RAUF AREGBESOLA celebrates the 62nd Birthday of his wife Ìyáàfin Sherifat Aregbesola”.

Kikiowo Ileowo, technical assistant to Rauf Aregbesola, when contacted by TheCable said, “the celebration was not related to the ruling made by the court nullifying Oyetola”, adding that the video was taken days ago during the birthday celebration of  Aregbesola’s wife.

Verdict

The dance video attributed to Aregbesola celebrating the nullification of Oyetola is misleading. An earlier version was published on Monday, September 23, while the court ruling held on Friday, September 28.