IN SHORT: A photo of Nigerian politician Peter Obi with Musiliu Akinsanya, a Nigerian transport workers union leader popularly known as MC Oluomo, is circulating on social media, with the claim the two met. But this is not true.
An image circulating on Facebook appears to show Nigerian politician Peter Obi visiting Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo. The image shows the two men standing side by side in Oluomo’s office in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Oluomo is the national president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, or NURTW.
Some Facebook posts show the image, with text saying: “Peter Obi pays homage to Oluomo, vows to work with him as the new NURTW National President.”
Obi was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in Nigeria’s presidential election in 2023. He received 6.1 million votes, 25.4% of total votes cast, but finished third, behind Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar. He has declared his intention to run for the presidency again in 2027.
Obi is part of a coalition of opposition politicians seeking to defeat Tinubu in 2027. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has endorsed Tinubu for re-election.
Oluomo is a well-known supporter and political associate of Tinubu. A meeting between Obi and Oluomo would therefore be controversial.
The claim also appears here, here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
In the past months, Obi has visited statesmen and politicians in the buildup to the 2027 presidential election.
But did he visit Oluomo? We checked.
Obi and Oluomo debunked the claim
Days after it began circulating, Obi debunked the claim that he met with Oluomo.
In a statement posted on X, Obi described images showing him shaking hands with US president Donald Trump and the one of him in Oluomo’s office as fake.
Obi’s statement reads, in part:
My attention has been drawn to some pictures currently circulating on social media, falsely portraying meetings I never had. One of such images purports to show me with US President Donald Trump, alongside a fabricated claim that he praised me. Another seeks to depict me with MC Oluomo in his office.
Let me state categorically that both pictures are fake and doctored, and the accompanying stories are entirely false. I have not met Mr Trump recently, nor have I had any such meeting with MC Oluomo.
These fabrications highlight the persistent dangers of fake news and disinformation in our society. They are not only misleading but deliberately designed to confuse, misguide, and distract the public.
Oluomo also debunked the claim, saying the visit wasn’t possible as he was out of the country at the time.
He was reported as saying:
I, Alhaji Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), have taken notice of a manipulated image and false news report circulating on social media, particularly in the northern part of Nigeria.
Multiple fact-checking platforms and blogs have already debunked this claim, revealing that the image was photoshopped. I urge the public to disregard this false news and rely on credible sources of information. I reaffirm my support for HE Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Hope Agenda.
The claim that Obi visited with MC Oluomo is false, and the image appearing to depict the visit has been digitally manipulated.
The same claim was found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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