IN SHORT: Did a top Nigerian government official really make sexist remarks about the female candidate vying for the Adamawa state governorship seat? No, a viral tweet with this quote is from a fake account.
“I am now 100% against Binani becoming the Governor of Adamawa as it goes completely against the teachings of Islam,” begins a tweet posted on 20 March 2023.
“As much as I would love the people’s choice to prevail, I would pray that the calamity of being led by a woman doesn’t befall the good people of the state,” the tweet concluded.
The tweet came from an account called “Boss Mustapha” with the handle @__yellows.
Boss Mustapha is the secretary of the federation government. He also headed the presidential task force on Covid-19.
Aishatu Ahmed, also known as Binani, is a politician and entrepreneur. She is a senator representing the Adamawa central senatorial district and the chairperson of the senate committee on sustainable development goals.
Adamawa state is in northeastern Nigeria.
Ahmed ran for governor of the state on the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). She was up against the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who represented the Peoples Democratic Party, among others.
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the results of the 18 March 2023 election in Adamawa state inconclusive.
A screenshot of the tweet has also been posted on Facebook here, here, here, here , here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
But did Mustapha really tweet such a problematic comment?
‘I don’t operate any Twitter handle’
On 21 March, Mustapha’s media team said in a statement signed by Willie Bassey that the quote circulating on social media was fake.
It read:“Mustapha does not own or operate any Twitter handle by such a user name and therefore calls on Nigerians to disregard any negative comments made with such a user name on Twitter.”
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Further Reading
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